Irate Imran threatens authorized motion in opposition to law enforcement officials concerned in ‘assault’ on his Zaman Park residence – Pakistan
PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday stated he would take authorized motion in opposition to Punjab police, together with “each single officer” who participated within the “assault” on his Zaman Park residence in Lahore a day earlier.
A visibly irate Imran made the remarks whereas addressing the nation a day after hours-long clashes had been reported between PTI employees and the capital police after the previous prime minister arrived on the Federal Judicial Advanced to attend a listening to within the Toshakhana case.
As Imran left his Zaman Park residence to look earlier than the choose, a heavy contingent of police additionally launched a search operation at his home.
Speaking concerning the police operation at Zaman Park, Imran stated officers broke down the gate and his partitions whereas solely his spouse, Bushra Bibi, and a choose few servants had been current.
“I wish to ask everybody, police, military officers, the judges of this nation and the individuals [about] the respect of chaddor and char dewari in Islam.”
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He stated he wished to deal with the matter final night time however couldn’t. “It was good that I didn’t as a result of I used to be indignant. And an individual mustn’t speak when he’s indignant.”
He stated that officers knew that Bushra Bibi, a girl who was not concerned in politics, was residence alone. “To do that at somebody’s residence, inform me what you’d have felt. I’m asking my military officers. What would you’ve felt?” he requested, posing the identical query to police officers.
Imran alleged that officers finishing up the operation “looted” his residence. “Is the police alleged to loot properties? They looted no matter they discovered. Do you not have any disgrace?” he requested as he focused Punjab Inspector Normal (IG) Usman Anwar and used alternative phrases for him.
Imran accused the Punjab IG of violating the orders of the Lahore Excessive Court docket (LHC), saying that he had referred to an anti-terrorism court docket for acquiring a search warrant even when a excessive court docket choose had already laid out the process for conducting a search at Zaman Park.
“Even the ATC solely allowed two officers to conduct the arrest. One was the SP and one other was a feminine police officer not under the rank of an inspector,” he stated.
He stated that the PTI would provoke contempt proceedings within the LHC and in addition take authorized motion in opposition to Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi in reference to the dying of Ali Bilal, alias Zille Shah, a employee of the PTI.
Later within the day, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that the social gathering had despatched a letter to the Punjab chief secretary requesting a case be registered in opposition to PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz, Naqvi, Punjab Inspector Normal of Police Dr Usman Anwar, Lahore Capital Metropolis Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyana and 18 different law enforcement officials for the “assault and theft at Zaman Park”.
Chaudhry stated the PTI had requested a judicial fee as properly on the Zaman Park operations and the dying of social gathering employee Ali Bilal.
Imran announces rally at Minar-i-Pakistan on Wednesday
During the address, Imran also announced that the party would stage a power show at Minar-i-Pakistan — the same venue where he launched his campaign for the 2013 elections — on Wednesday (March 22), adding that it would be a “referendum” on where the nation stood.
“Now, we are doing Minar-i-Pakistan on Wednesday. And I want the whole country to see, it will be a referendum on where the public stands. Everyone will know where the nation stands, and where the cabal of crooks and their handlers stand,” he said.
Imran had earlier announced that the power show at Minar-i-Pakistan would take place today (March 19) but the LHC had directed the PTI to reschedule its rally and have a dialogue with the administration.
In his deal with, Imran stated that the nation was “headed in the direction of catastrophe” and the one means ahead was conducting free and honest elections.
He stated that the nation couldn’t be managed by way of drive anymore because it had gained “consciousness”.
‘Police wanted to kill me’
At the outset of his address, Imran asked what exactly his crime was, saying that the entire nation knew that he always respected the law. He alleged that 96 cases had been registered against him so far.
“Whenever I leave the house, more cases are registered against me. Who is doing this? The criminals responsible for doing this to the country are the ones registering cases against me.”
He alleged that the coalition government was behind the attempt on his life in Wazirabad, adding that they had the backing of “handlers”.
Giving a rundown of the past couple of weeks, Imran said that the elections in Punjab were announced for April 30, following which the PTI decided to initiate its election campaign by holding a rally in Lahore on March 8.
“On the night of March 7, it was decided with the police how the rally would proceed and they approved it. We got permission. The next day, as we are about to start, everyone starts saying that police contingents are here and placing containers.”
He said that as police appeared clad in riot control gear, it was revealed that Section 144 had been imposed in Lahore. “When elections have been announced, how can Section 144 be imposed? Has this happened before in Pakistan’s history?”
He said that when the rally started moving towards Zaman Park, police used water cannons and tear gas against PTI workers. Subsequently, he decided to cancel the rally by 5pm because “I knew that they are trying to cause the situation deteriorate”.
Imran further said that he asked for his hearing to be shifted from an Islamabad court due to security concerns. “F-8 kachery is a death trap,” he said, adding that arrest warrants were issued for him for this reason.
He said that a huge “army” arrived at his Lahore residence over warrants issued by a magistrate. “There were constant attacks here at my home. Has this ever happened before in the history of Pakistan?”
He asked that if he just had to mark his attendance in a court in Islamabad, why was his home being attacked from three sides. “Rangers were arriving in armoured vehicles, coming in after jumping over walls like some commando action is taking place.”
Imran said that he was ready to hand himself over to the police but he was stopped from doing so by his party workers who feared harm would befall the party chief.
“Yesterday, when I left my house, I said my goodbyes to my wife. I knew that I would either be arrested or killed. With that thought in mind, I left my home.”
He said that when he reached the toll plaza, police had closed down the motorway. “Only one lane was open. They had in mind that once my car leaves, they will close it behind me so that rest of the cars cannot follow […] the whole of Islamabad was closed down as if for a major criminal.”
He alleged that the police intended to either “murder” him or take him into custody and then shift him to Balochistan.
The PTI chief said police tear gassed workers that were walking alongside his car as they “wanted a reaction”. He said that once his car reached the judicial complex, police again tear gassed workers. “I didn’t want to leave or else they would have claimed I fled.”
He said that when he was at the gate, police also started beating the workers surrounding the car. “They were waiting for me to step out of the car and then kill me.”
Sanaullah challenges Imran’s version of events
In a press conference soon after, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah challenged the PTI chief on his version of yesterday’s events and claimed the situation was otherwise.
“Don’t fool the people, tell them that two weeks before now when you took a group of armed people and attacked the Judicial Complex — what conspiracy was at play then?”
The interior minister questioned why Imran wanted to take the mob of 300-400 people with him inside the Judicial Complex on Saturday and asked what situation could have arisen if they had entered.
Sanaullah questioned Imran about how the PTI’s actions yesterday and the party chairman’s alleged refusal to answer the accusations against him matched up with his insistence on the rule of law.
“You will have to answer for the theft in the Toshakhana case.”
The interior minister also raised concern about the upcoming provincial elections and said no one would accept their results since it would mean the presence of elected provincial governments during the general elections.
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