ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreeke-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan has claimed that the government has “a plan in place” to arrest him during his appearance before a court in Islamabad in the Toshakhana reference.
In a video message before leaving to appear before the district and sessions court on Saturday, Imran Khan said that the Islamabad police were ready to arrest him in the capital.
Islamabad district and sessions court is due to begin the hearing into the Toshakhana case against Imran Khan, who evaded court appearance and arrest despite protracted efforts by law enforcement agencies.
The PTI leader said: “I am going to face the court in Islamabad, and unfortunately, due to an accident, I got a bit late. I want to tell my nation they plan to arrest me in Islamabad. This shows their ill intentions. I was going to face the court earlier, but the attack on my house did not allow me to appear in court.”
He said: I am going to (appear) in court despite knowing they will arrest me because I believe in the rule of law.”
Imran Khan claimed that a deliberate plan to arrest him had been put in place as part of a larger “London plan” hatched by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif so that he could not contest the upcoming general election.
“I know they are going to arrest me. I want to say that I believe in the rule of law. I want to tell the nation that the ill intention of the ‘imported government’ and their selectors is exposed, and their intention was never to follow the rule of law. Currently, there is the law of the jungle in Pakistan,” the PTI leader said.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has filed a complaint against Imran Khan for allegedly failing to reveal details of gifts in his assets declarations. The former PM is expected to appear before District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal afternoon.
چیئرمین عمران خان کا خصوصی بیان۔
#چلو_چلو_عمران_کے_ساتھ pic.twitter.com/8c0l0aC5eC— PTI (@PTIofficial) March 18, 2023
A heavy contingent of police, Rangers and FC personnel had been deployed outside the judicial complex to maintain the law-and-order. Prisoner vans had also been parked outside the judicial complex ahead of Imran Khan’s court appearance.
Security personnel arrived at the judicial complex on Saturday morning before Imran’s court appearance.
Imran Khan previously evaded arrest despite a protracted effort by police and other law enforcement personnel to arrest him for skipping multiple previous hearings. The district and sessions court issued his arrest warrants after he failed to appear in court.
Earlier, the former prime minister left his Zaman Park residence for Islamabad to appear in the district and sessions court.
The former prime minister, party leaders, and workers left his Zaman Park residence early on Saturday morning. Party sources said a convoy of party workers also accompanied the former premier during his journey to Islamabad.
