LAHORE/GILGIT: After the Lahore High Court extended its stay order against a police operation to arrest Imran Khan in connection with the Toshakhana case for another day, the Punjab police chief claimed that PTI workers had injured over 60 of his men, besides damaging several police vehicles with petrol bombs.

Addressing a press conference along with interim Information Minister Amir Mir here on Thursday, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar said that police personnel had demonstrated restraint at Zaman Park to ‘avoid the loss of lives’, adding that their force was unarmed and had orders to use a defensive approach as far as possible.

He rejected allegations that weapons were used during the Zaman Park standoff, saying that Islamabad and Lahore police personnel had not fired even a single shot on PTI workers.

“The law will take its course in the wake of the court orders of Imran Khan’s arrest,” he said, adding that the high court would be asked on Friday (today) to allow the execution of the warrant issued by an Islamabad court. About the death of PTI worker Ali Bilal (also known as Zille Shah), Dr Anwar said that he had died in a road accident and the suspects arrested in this case had confessed to the crime before the court.

Speaking at the occasion, the Punjab interim information minister claimed that some militants from Khyber Pakhtunkhawa were also hiding at the Zaman Park residence of the PTI chief.

“Militants were also among the PTI workers who attacked the police force,” Amir Mir said.

Fresh cases

Following the IGP’s presser, Lahore police lodged another FIR against Mr Khan, several of his party leaders and around 2,000 PTI workers/supporters under the anti-terrorism act and multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The charges included attempt to murder, punishment for abetment, criminal conspiracy, armed rioting, criminal intimidation, obstructing public servants, causing public nuisance, mischief by fire or explosive substance with an intent to damage public property etc.

The FIR was lodged on the complaint of Racecourse Police Inspector Rehan Anwar, who alleged that violent PTI workers attacked the Lahore and Islamabad police contingents when they reached Zaman Park with warrants for Mr Khan’s arrest.

He alleged that the PTI workers committed terrorism at the behest of the former prime minister and that violent riots were orchestrated by a criminal conspiracy, led by Imran Khan himself.

LHC denies permission for power show

Earlier, when the Lahore High Court (LHC) extended its stay order against police operation at Zaman Park, it also restrained the party from holding a power show at the Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday, as announced by Mr Khan earlier in the week.

Advocate Azhar Siddique, the counsel for the petitioner, told the court that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) announced its decision and did not suspend the arrest warrants of Imran Khan. He said the trial court of Islamabad reserved its decision on an application seeking a review of the warrants in light of an undertaking submitted by the PTI chief that he will ensure his appearance.

When Justice Sheikh observed that the PTI agitated the same issue before the Lahore and Islamabad high courts, at its convenience, the counsel argued that the matter of the arrest warrants had become political now.

Later in the day, the trial court announced its decision and dismissed Mr Khan’s application.

GB protests cop’s removal

When asked about the supposed clash between GB and Punjab police at Zaman Park, the IGP reiterated there had been no confrontation between personnel from the two forces.

The GB force, he said, had gone back by the time police reached to arrest Imran Khan.

At a separate presser in Gilgit, GB Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan welcomed the IGP’s statement and announced that the region would take legal action against the politicians and government officials who spread misinformation police.

He alleged that the federal government was hatching conspiracies against the GB government and planning to impose an emergency in the region.

Praising the former GB police chief, the CM said that Saeed Wazir, who he described as a professional and competent officer, had merely been transferred to prove the lies of the federal government.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2023