LAHORE: As clashes between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and police outside Zaman Park in Lahore continued till late at night, party chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan visited Zaman Park surrounding, where he was greeted by jeering and charged workers.
During Fajr prayers, heavy shelling was also carried out by Punjab police at Imran Khan’s residence.
In Zaman Park, police shelling continued intermittently throughout the night while PTI workers braved tear gas and water cannons and kept the security forces at bay
A heavy contingent of police took control of the Mall Road bridge late at night. A heavy contingent of police, water cannons, and armoured vehicles were deployed at Dharam Pura bridge after PTI workers engaged Islamabad police, aided by Punjab police and Rangers personnel in pitched battles that continued late into the night.
Sources said that at a late-night meeting chaired by the Punjab interim chief minister, it was decided to make another attempt to detain the PTI chief and wrap up the operation at the earliest.
Resisting the arrest so far, Imran Khan and activists also inspected Zaman Park’s surroundings on Wednesday morning. According to him, preparations were being made again to attack Zaman Park and arrest him.
In a video message to the people, Khan said that Zaman Park has been presenting the scene of occupied Kashmir since yesterday afternoon. “The way the police attacked our people is unprecedented,” he said.
“What was the need for violence, shelling and using water cannons against workers? Due to security reasons, I could not appear in F-8 Katchehry Islamabad. Lawyers and judges have been martyred in terrorist attacks on F-8 court twice in the past.”
Imran Khan said that he gave an affidavit to appear in the court on March 18 to avoid chaos, after which Lahore High Court Bar President Ishtiaq A Khan went to meet the DIG, but the latter intentionally did not meet him.
According to Imran Khan, the DIG did not receive his surety bond owing to malafide intention because he is part of the “London plan”. “The police have no justification for arrest after submitting bail bonds. ‘
Imran Khan said that in the alleged London plan, an agreement has been reached to put him in jail and bring down the PTI.
“In the London plan, a powerful man has also guaranteed Nawaz Sharif to exonerate him of his cases,” he said.
