Zaman Park operation not decided yet: sources

LAHORE: The authorities have not yet decided to launch a police operation at PTI chief Imran Khan’s residence to arrest ‘suspects’, citing sources, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Sources within the Punjab government said that the decision for conducting a police operation at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence was not taken yet.

Sources added that police officers submitted a report that the wanted suspects were not currently present in Zaman Park and they might be fled from there.

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According to the police report, the activities at Zaman Park will be closely monitored for a few days and the police will seek permission from the government if they find suspects there.

Sources said that the Punjab government instructed police to avoid clashes and damages during the arrests of the suspects.

In a relevant development today, Faisalabad police claimed to have arrested a suspected woman who had provided petrol bombs to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protestors. CPO Usman Gondal confirmed the arrest of the suspect woman.

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CPO Usman Gondal said that the court released the suspect on bail for being a woman. He detailed that 26 police senior and junior-ranked officers got injured in the violent attacks. He added that 172 accused had been arrested in five terrorism cases.

CPO Gondal said that an attack was carried out at the Ghulam Muhammadabad police station and a police van was torched by the protestors. 186 suspects had been nabbed and 70 others were detained, whereas, SP CTD and Special Branch officers are probing into the incidents.

Earlier in the day, it emerged that roads leading to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore have been blocked as the deadline given by the Punjab police to hand over “terrorists” ended at 2:00 pm today.

According to details, Jail Road heading towards Zaman Park was blocked for traffic while a large number of police personnel have been deployed on the routes leading to Zaman Park.

Punjab government had given a 24-hour ultimatum to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hand over ‘terrorists’, who had taken refuge in the former PM’s home.