LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers have beefed up security outside party chairman Imran Khan’s residence in Zaman Park here amid fears of another crackdown ahead of the Wednesday rally at Minar-e-Pakistan ground.
As per the details, the police have placed containers outside Zaman Park. The containers are mainly placed at gate number 1 of Zaman Park and on the Canal Road. The number of party workers outside chairman Imran Khan’s residence has swelled, to resist any possible police operation.
Furthermore, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers have placed their camps again outside Zaman Park on the Canal Road. The sources said that the police is likely to carry out another ‘grand operation’ at the residence of former premier and PTI Chairman Imran Khan at Lahore’s Zaman Park.
Ahead of PTI’s Wednesday rally at Minar-e-Pakistan, Islamabad and Lahore police have intensified their crackdown on the party activists. During the wee hours of Monday, the police conducted raids in different parts of the two cities during which several PTI activists were reportedly arrested.
The police conducted raids at the houses of PTI leaders Musarrat Jamshed Cheema and former federal minister Shafqat Mehmood in Lahore, however, they could not find them. The raids – termed as another ‘fascist’ attempt by the government – continue ahead of the PTI rally scheduled on Wednesday.
Former premier Imran Khan also called out the police action in Lahore and Islamabad. “Fascism at unprecedented levels with police in Islamabad raiding homes without warrants to abduct PTI workers. Where the worker is not present, children as young as 10 yrs are picked up. We demand the immediate release of all our workers & their children who have been abducted,” said PTI chairman Imran Khan in a tweet.
According to the reports, the police might resort to another round of operation at former prime minister Imran Khan’s residence in Zaman Park here. More than 30 shipping containers have been placed in the Qila Gujar Singh area of Lahore. The prisoner vans have also been stationed near Zaman Park which is still encircled by the PTI activists protecting their party chief from arrest.
PTI chief’s arrest warrants suspended
The Additional District and Sessions Court Islamabad had cancelled the arrest warrants of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan in Toshakhana case on Saturday, and adjourned the hearing untill March 30. The court ordered Imran Khan to ensure his presence on the next hearing.
As Imran Khan and his motorcade reached outside the Judicial Complex in Islamabad, the party workers pelted stones at them the police, the latter alleged. Later, the Additional Sessions Judge decided to get the attendance of Imran Khan marked at the gate of the complex, and allow him to return.
Earlier in the day, the Punjab police raided PTI chairman’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore. The police arrested more than 13 party workers in what it called ‘anti-encroachment’ operation at Zaman Park.
