Islamabad police on Tuesday used a water cannon and tear gas to disperse PTI workers gathered outside party chief Imran Khan\u2019s Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
\nFootage broadcast on television showed police slowly inching toward the residence behind an armoured vehicle that was dispersing PTI supporters with a water cannon. Supporters could also be seen pelting stones at the policemen.
\nShortly after 2pm, armoured police vehicles had arrived outside Zaman Park residence in Lahore with the intention of arresting Imran but refrained from commenting on the case in which it was acting against the PTI chairman.
\nIt is pertinent to mention that an Islamabad district and sessions court on Monday again issued arrest warrants for Imran after he persistently skipped hearings in the Toshakhana case. The court had also directed police to present the ex-premier in court by March 18.
\nPTI\u2019s Fawad Chaudhry, meanwhile, said that the arrest warrants against Imran had been challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). He said that the hearing was expected to be held soon. \u201cShibli Faraz and Barrister Gohar have reached the IHC\u201d.
\nSpeaking to the media nearly two hours after police arrived, PTI\u2019s Shah Mahmood Qureshi said officials should not put the people\u2019s lives in danger. He said that the officer concerned should come and talk to him.
\n\u201cI will speak to him and then discuss it with Imran,\u201d he said. He further said that the workers were aware that they needed to act peacefully.
\n\u201cIf they have the warrant, they should show it to me. I should read it, I should understand it, then I will speak to Imran,\u201d he said, adding that the PTI chief was present at Zaman Park.
\nClad in riot control gear, Islamabad Deputy Inspector General (DIG) (Operations) Shahzad Bukhari told reporters that officials had gathered outside Imran\u2019s Zaman Park residence to take the PTI chief into custody as there were outstanding warrants for his arrest.
\nHowever, the police official declined to divulge the details of the case in which Islamabad police was acting against Imran. \u201cOf course, we know of the case but why should we discuss [such] details?\u201d
\nWhen asked where Imran would be taken once he was arrested, Bukhari said: \u201cLet it first happen, then God willing we will keep you informed.\u201d
\nPTI\u2019s Hassaan Niazi spoke to the media outside Zaman Park and said that the party would receive Imran\u2019s arrest warrants and challenge them in the high court. He said the party \u201cdid not trust\u201d the police.
\nHe further said that police had been informed that workers were \u201cangry\u201d after the death of Zille Shah. He further said that he told the police that he would \u201ccheck Imran\u2019s availability\u201d and get back to them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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