LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: As workers and supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) surrounded the residence of Imran Khan in the Zaman Park neighbourhood of Lahore Sunday, vowing to prevent his arrest, Islamabad police claimed the “reluctant” former prime minister appears “hesitant to be arrested” and has vanished into thin air.
A contingent of police from Islamabad collaborated with Punjab police and reached the residence of Khan shortly before noon to arrest him, accusing him of prolonged absence from the trial proceedings in the Toshakhana case.
The case centres on a government department known as Toshakhana — which during the Mughal era referred to the treasure houses kept by the subcontinent’s princely rulers to store and display gifts lavished on them.
Government officials must declare all gifts to the Cabinet Division, but are allowed to keep those below a certain value. The government of Shehbaz Sharif has accused the former prime minister of concealing information about gifts he retained from the repository.
Khan, who is recovering from gunshot wounds sustained during an assassination attempt last year, has skipped three scheduled hearings in the case on grounds of needing medical treatment.
According to a series of tweets by the Islamabad police, the “superintendent of police (SP) has gone to Khan’s room but he’s not there.”
“The team sent to arrest him is still waiting outside his residence,” the police added. “The operation to arrest Khan is being conducted in partnership with the Lahore police.”
عدالتی احکامات کے مطابق عمران خان کی گرفتاری کےلیے اسلام آباد پولیس کی ٹیم لاہور پہنچی ہے۔
لاہور پولیس کے تعاون سے تمام کارروائی مکمل کی جارہی ہے۔
عدالتی احکامات کی تکمیل میں رکاوٹ ڈالنے والوں کے خلاف قانونی کارروائی عمل میں لائی جائے گی۔
1/2— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) March 5, 2023
The police said they will take legal action against individuals who obstruct the implementation of court orders.
Meanwhile, TV footage has captured police officers in Islamabad and Punjab police uniforms being restrained by PTI workers outside Khan’s residence.
پولیس ٹیم کو کارکنوں نے گھیر لیا نعرے نازی @ICT_Police https://t.co/ZstLj7ndi8 pic.twitter.com/ja4jI1wVsv
— Shakeel Qarar (@Qarar009) March 5, 2023
On February 28, Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the former prime minister after he failed to appear in court for indictment.
On that day, Khan had four court hearings, and he was granted bail in three of them.
The warrant cited Khan’s repeated failure to appear in court and accused him of picking and choosing which cases and courts he would attend, with this particular case not being a priority.
The warrant further demanded that the accused be summoned through a non-bailable arrest warrant for March 7.
Responding to the warrant issuance, Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice president of the party, tweet the document pertains solely to attendance, and the police’s insistence on effecting an arrest is illegal.
عدالت کا وارنٹ صرف حاضری کیلئے ہے اسلام آباد پولیس کا گرفتاری پر اصرار غیر قانونی عمل ہے
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 5, 2023
More details to follow
