IHC orders Imran to move trial court for suspension of warrants
LAHORE
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday stopped police operation at former premier Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence till 10am tomorrow (Thursday), putting a halt to day-long clashes that had erupted after police tried to arrest the PTI chairman in the Toshakhana case.
LHC’s Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued the order on a petition filed by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry seeking to stop the “atrocities” outside Zaman Park. Earlier, the court had instructed the Punjab inspector general, chief secretary and Islamabad police (operations) head to appear in court by 3:15 pm.
The court reprimanded the additional attorney general for baselessly defending the operation. After the LHC order, Police and other law enforcers pulled back from former premier Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence.
More contingents in the wee hours of Wednesday reached PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence — where a stand-off between party supporters and law enforcers has been going on for more than 20 hours — for the former prime minister’s arrest in the Toshakhana case.
A tense situation prevailed in Lahore on Wednesday morning as police made a fresh attempt to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan. Many PTI supporters have been taken into custody from around Zaman Park during Wednesday clashes.
Subsequently, celebrations erupted at Zaman Park, where PTI supporters cheered “chasing the Rangers away”. Earlier, the official PTI Twitter handle stated that open firing had begun by the Rangers and police with Imran’s residence under “extreme attack”.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters on Tuesday night took control of Zaman Park Lahore following an hours-long face-off with police, who arrived to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved its verdict on Imran Khan’s petition seeking the cancellation of his arrest warrants in the Toshakhana case. The party had filed the petition after police and PTI workers had come face to face outside Zaman Park a day earlier.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq took up the petition filed by the PTI legal team. At the outset of hearing, the IHC judge asked Imran’s counsel, Khawaja Haris Ahmed, if he had addressed all the objections previously raised on the petition.
