Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan arrested (Photo: Instagram)
Police personnel and supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan clashed in Lahore on Tuesday afternoon after a heavy posse reached Khan’s Zaman Park residence in armoured vehicles.
Pakistani media reported that the Islamabad Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Shahzad Bukhari was injured in the melee. Other reports said that the police has been able to wrest control of the Zaman Park residence gate.
In a tweet late in the evening, Khan again called upon his supporters to thwart his arrest as he was fighting on behalf of the people.
The Islamabad Police has been present in Lahore since Monday in an effort to arrest the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief in the Toshakhana case. This is the second time that the police arrived at his residence to arrest Khan in just about 10 days. Despite court orders to Khan to appear before the court on March 13, he has been evading going to the court.
The police used a water cannon and tear gas against Khan’s supporters who had gathered outside his residence with many carrying sticks to beat back the police. The supporters pelted the police with stones.
Khan’s supporters exhorted people to come out to Zaman Park on social media to prevent his arrest. Former minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the party has challenged the arrest warrants in the Islamabad High Court.
On the other hand, senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz said that Imran Khan will be held responsible if any police personnel gets injured during the violence.
Khan’s supporters and senior members of his party are standing solidly behind Khan to save him from the clutches of the police. PTI vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the leadership is ready to find out a “possible way out” to avert bloodshed. Addressing a press conference at Zaman Park, Qureshi asked the police to talk to the party’s leadership.
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