Dr Usman says PTI worker turned Zaman Park into no-go area
\n LAHORE
\nPunjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar on Thursday alleged that Pakistan Tehreek (PTI) workers were well-prepared to attack law enforcement agencies outside Zaman Park.
\nHe was addressing a press conference in Lahore on Thursday along with Punjab interim Information Minister Aamir Mir. The top cop of Punjab said FIRs were registered against people who damaged public property. \u201cShooting is very easy, but shooting in not bravery,\u201d the IGP stated, adding the PTI workers damaged public property in the riots. The IGP said police were attacked with petrol bombs, while PTI workers had assaulted the police and Rangers vehicles.
\n He said police were barred from carrying weapons to avoid casualties, and highlighted that the force carried weapons in all previous operations. \u201cPolice personnel were injured in stone pelting by PTI workers,\u201d he remarked, adding the Islamabad DIG was injured from stone pelting.
\nDr Anwar said there was no objective behind conducting the operation in Zaman Park. The only purpose of PTI workers was to turn Zaman Park into a no-go area, so police could not get there, he added.
\nHe said the Lahore High Court had ordered Punjab police to follow the law, adding the law enforcers would seek \u2018search\u2019 permission of Zaman Park from the high court. Defending the no-fire policy, he said both the Punjab and Islamabad police did not fire towards the PTI workers. The information minister said the government had decided loss of life will be avoided. The IGP further claimed that PTI worker Zille Shah did not die due to torture or police fire, adding he died in an accident.
\nThe statements of both suspects were recorded, and will be shared with the media, he claimed. The police chief further said the driver of the vehicle that hit Shah, and his accomplice had given their confessional statements before the magistrate under Section 164 of PPC.
\nBoth of them had confessed to their crime, the IGP claimed, adding it will be further reassured when the statements are shared with the media. Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan claimed the real intent of the LEAs behind the entire episode was to \u201cabduct and assassinate\u201d him.
\nIn a series of Tweets, Imran Khan had written: \u201cClearly arrest claim was mere drama because the real intent is to abduct & assassinate. From tear gas & water cannons, they have now resorted to live firing.\u201d
\nIslamabad police along with Punjab police and Rangers launched an operation to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan after a district and sessions court issued his non-bailable arrest warrants for failing to attend the hearing in Toshakhana reference.
\nThe court of ADSJ Zafar Iqbal restored non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran in the Toshakhana reference. It instructed the police to arrest the PTI chief and present him in court by March 18.
\nThe Punjab top cop confirmed that the Gilgit-Baltistan police force was present at Zaman Park. \u201cThe police forces did not fight against each other and did not shoot a single bullet,\u201d he said, refuting the rumors of any clash between the police forces.
\nOn Thursday, the federal government removed the GB Police chief for allegedly deploying force at Zaman Park. Dar Ali Khan Khattak, a Grade 20 officer, was appointed as the new inspector general of police of GB. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dr Usman says PTI worker turned Zaman Park into no-go area LAHORE Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar on Thursday alleged that Pakistan Tehreek (PTI) workers were well-prepared to attack law enforcement agencies outside Zaman Park. He was addressing a press conference in Lahore on Thursday along with Punjab interim Information Minister […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[12374],"class_list":{"0":"post-319913","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news","7":"tag-dr-usman-anwar"},"yoast_head":"\n