PTI supporters fortify main entrance of Imran’s Zaman Park residence as police begin to arrive at Mall Road

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Shipping containers were placed outside the main entrance of party chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore — ostensibly by PTI supporters — on Thursday as police teams began arriving at Mall Road, less than a five-minute drive from the former prime minister’s house.

Islamabad Police, backed up by their Punjab Police compatriots and the Rangers, have met significant resistance from PTI workers since Tuesday in trying to execute non-bailable arrest warrants issued by a sessions court for Imran, who is currently holed up in his Lahore residence.

Imran has skipped hearings four times.

After several violent exchanges, in which petrol bombs and tear gas were traded, the police retreated yesterday, saying that the operation had been paused during the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL). Separately, the Lahore High Court had also ordered the LEAs to stop the action until 10am today.

A number of PTI workers had gathered outside at Canal Road with sticks and slings. They blocked Imran’s residence with containers and chanted slogans in favour of their party chief.

The ex-premier’s supporters also placed rocks along multiple sections of the road leading to Zaman Park.

On the other hand, police had started gathering at Mall Road.

Video footage of the scene showed multiple trucks with shipping containers placed on them parked at the intersection of the Mall and Canal roads. A dozen Punjab policemen could also be seen in the clip.

In a series of tweets today, the PTI quoted party leader Musarrat Jamshed Cheema as saying that roads leading to Zaman Park were being blocked and containers were being placed on major highways in Punjab.

“We want to warn them that we will continue to defend the leader of the nation,” she stated, warning that “we will not let the future of Pakistan be pledged to these few families”.

Cheema also claimed that the LHC had barred the police from conducting an operation. “But if this administration defies court orders, they will face the legions of the people,” she added.