LAHORE: The Punjab police on Tuesday revised security arrangements around Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence, slashed manpower around it by almost 70 per cent because, according to police, threat perception about the former prime minister underwent some changes.

According to the new planning, around 200 policemen would guard his residence instead of 650 personnel [earlier]. “It is still much more than what former prime ministers are entitled to,” said one of the decision makers, who did not want to be named because he is not allowed to speak on the matter.

“All law-enforcement agencies, including intelligence agencies, assess threats to all important people in the country and police is told to match security to fresh assessment,” he explained.

This kind of review is prerogative of provincial intelligence committee (PIC) and police follow the instructions. That is how new measures do not, in any way, mean any kind of compromise on the security of the former prime minister and PTI chief, but only responding to new evaluation on security needs of the ex-premier, he claimed.

Decision made after ‘threat perception about Imran undergoes some changes’

Imran Khan returned to Lahore at around 9pm to live in thinner security ring, which may probably be beefed up by his workers.

Earlier, as Imran Khan left Lahore on Tuesday morning to appear before courts in Islamabad, police moved to implement fresh appraisal security needs. It removed all security barriers erected around his residence, where Imran has been nesting since assassination attempt on Nov 3 near Wazirabad. Workers of the district administration were first to arrive at around 1pm on the spot and faced resistance from a small number of, but charged, workers. Soon, heavy contingent of police followed and given their overwhelming presence and pressure, the PTI workers not only allowed them to remove barriers but also negotiated removal of their camps to green area along the canal road.

Soon Dr Yasmin Rashid reached the spot to condemn the removal of barriers, saying that life of Imran Khan is under immense threat. Removing security barriers from a place where he has to stay all the time is tantamount to increasing threats to his life. “The caretaker government is doing all this on the instructions of the PDM government, which has stooped to this level,” she said, adding this was an attempt to provoke workers. However, none of the workers got enraged in the face of this ‘extreme provocation’ of endangering their leader’s life.

Andleeb Abbas, another PTI leader, also condemned this “blatant provocation,” and called it a joint venture of the caretakers and the PDM, who want to instigate workers, incite violence and then hide behind the excuse to avoid elections. She warned that workers patience may not last if both caretakers and the federal government do not desist from needling the PTI workers.

Common commuters who had to suffer daily because of heavy presence of police, PTI workers camps and the electronic media vans encroaching the four-lane road and reducing to double or at times to single lane, creating a severe bottleneck and keeping traffic stuck for hours, only heaved a sigh of relief, praying that things do not return to what it has been for the last four months.

“We hope the reduced police presence and workers pushed to green belt would help commuters,” says Muhammad Asif, who has to travel on the road twice a day in morning and evening peak hours.

“Imran Khan lives in fortress-like home, which is protected by police from all sides. He and his workers should show some regard to travellers who get struck, sometimes, for hours. Hopefully, the situation would improve,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2023