VIDEO: Come out for your rights, Imran urges Pakistanis as police and PTI workers clash
- 14 Mar 2023
Tariq Butt, Correspondent
Former Prime Minister and PAkistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan called on his supporters to "come out” as party workers and police officials clashed outside his Zaman Park residence in Lahore on Tuesday.
Islamabad police aided by Lahore police reached the venue to arrest Khan as ordered by two federal capital judges in two different cases.
Pelting of stones and tear-gassing continued for hours. Several policemen and PTI workers were injured in the fracas.
Police scuffled with supporters Imran after officers arrived outside his home to arrest him for failing to appear in court on graft charges, police and officials said.
The police operation triggered clashes between Khan's supporters and police in the country's major cities.
Police in the eastern city of Lahore planned to serve Khan with a warrant to appear in court later this week. They fired tear gas at the house as the 71-year-old opposition leader's supporters hurled rocks and bricks at the officers.
About a dozen police and some 35 of Khan's supporters were reported injured. Tear gas shells and pieces of bricks littered the pavement as Khan's followers fought back with batons they had brought to resist police.
In a video message on Twitter, Khan said police had arrived to arrest him. "They think that after I am arrested, the nation will fall asleep. You have to prove them wrong,” he said.
The PTI chairman said everyone should come out of their homes for their rights and true freedom.
Fawad Chaudhry also asked PTI supporters to gather in the streets in a show of solidarity with Imran.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, however, said that officials would arrest Khan in accordance with the court’s directives and produce him in court.
Shortly after 2pm, armoured police vehicles had arrived outside Zaman Park with the intention of arresting Khan but a senior Islamabad police official, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) (Operations) Shahzad Bukhari, had refrained from commenting on the case in which officials were acting against the PTI chairman.
However, almost an hour later, police used a water cannon and tear gas against PTI supporters that had gathered outside Zaman Park in droves.
Footage broadcast on television showed police 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.
Footage also showed PTI supporters being teargassed once police arrived close to the main gate of Zaman Park. The workers, who had covered their faces with pieces of cloth and were carrying bottles of water, continued to pelt stones at officials. The PTI also shared a video of tear gas shells being lobbed inside Zaman Park.
Amid the chaos, Islamabad DIG (Operations) Bukhari - who was leading the police team - was injured. Footage aired on TV showed the senior police official struggling to walk as two other officials helped him. A heavy contingent of Rangers had been deployed outside Zaman Park.
Speaking to the media as armoured vehicles had arrived outside Zaman Park around 2pm, Islamabad Deputy Inspector General (DIG) (Operations) Shahzad Bukhari - who was clad in riot control gear - told reporters that officials had arrived to take the PTI chief into custody as there were outstanding warrants for his arrest.
However, the police official declined to divulge the details of the case in which Islamabad police was acting against Khan. "Of course, we know of the case but why should we discuss [such] details?”
When asked where Khan would be taken once he was arrested, Bukhari said: "Let it first happen, then God willing we will keep you informed.” He asserted that police had arrived to "serve the lawful process”, adding that he expected that others would cooperate with the officials in this regard.
He said that he expected the people not to take the law into their own hands and would also announce it to the public gathered outside Imran’s residence. When asked whether police would take action if the situation descended into chaos, he said: "Yes of course, if someone takes the law into their hands then we will act in accordance with the law.”
Bukhari was also asked whether the capital’s police force had been camped out in Lahore for the past week, to which he replied that these were their own "procedural details”.
Meanwhile, PTI’s Farrukh Habib shared footage of officials outside Zaman Park. He said that Imran’s life was in danger yet situations were being created behind the scenes so that another attempt on the ex-premier’s life could be carried out.
