- IHC upholds arrest warrants, directs Khan to approach trial court in Thoshakhana case
- Imran asks military to ‘abandon London plan’ of preventing him from coming to power
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday stopped the almost 24-hour-long operation launched by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) at Zaman Park for the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for not show up in court in Thoshakhana case, till 10am on Thursday (today).
There were clashes between PTI workers and police personnel, flanked Punjab Rangers contingents, since launch of the operation on Tuesday.
On the other hand, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) disposed of a plea filed on behalf of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, seeking cancellation of his arrest warrants issued by the trial court in Thoshakhana case.
The IHC directed the petitioner to approach the trial court for relief and asked the PTI’s lawyer to submit an undertaking regarding the appearance of Imran Khan before the sessions court which would view the matter as per law.
‘Case in LHC’
A single-member LHC bench comprising Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh passed the orders while hearing a petition, filed by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, seeking directions to stop the police operation in Zaman Park launched for the arrest of the PTI chairman in Toshakhana case.
During the hearing, the Punjab chief secretary, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and others officers appeared before the court on being summoned.
To a court query, the Punjab IGP submitted that the Islamabad police had sought assistance for the arrest of the PTI chairman in Toshakhana case, following issuance of his non-bailable arrest warrants by the trial court. He submitted that 73 police personnel were injured due to attacks by the PTI workers when they reached Zaman Park to comply with the court orders.
The IGP submitted that he decided that no police personnel or officers would carry weapons during the operation and the situation was controlled through the use of water cannon and tear gas. However, the PTI workers used petrol bombs, which destroyed two police vehicles, he said and added that not only Elite force but also vehicles of rangers were also attacked. He submitted that the Islamabad police officers and SP Amara Shirazi were also attacked.
The IGP submitted: “We wanted to arrest those responsible for torture of police and stopping the police from carrying out its duties.”
At this stage, the chief secretary Punjab submitted that the IGP Punjab had informed the court about the situation in detail.
However, the court observed that whether the operation could be stopped temporarily, in view of the pending proceedings before the Islamabad High Court in the matter.
The IGP submitted that the police wanted to arrest people who damaged property.
The court further observed that it wanted peace in the city and ordered police to stop the operation.
The IGP submitted that he wanted to have police presence in Zaman Park.
Subsequently, the court ordered the IGP to withdraw police personnel from Zaman Park and station them at The Mall road bridge, Dhrampura bridge and Thandi Sarak, besides adjourning further hearing till Thursday at 10am.
Earlier, the court heard the matter in the morning and summoned the IGP Punjab, chief secretary and other government officials.
LEAs personnel withdraw from around Zaman Park
Following Lahore High Court orders, the police and other law enforcers withdrew from around Imran Khan’s Zaman Park home on Wednesday, putting a halt to clashes that had erupted after police tried to arrest the former prime minister for not appearing in court in the Toshakhana case.
Law enforcement personnel were seen leaving the neighbourhood after day-long clashes with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters as renewed attempts were made earlier Thursday to arrest the party Chairman Imran. Police resumed firing tear gas rounds and used water cannons against defiant PTI workers and supporters as fresh skirmishes broke out in the morning after law enforcers intensified the operation in a standoff that lasted almost 24-hours.
CCPO Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana and DIG Operations Lahore Afzal Kausar also reached the area to lead the operation. A large contingent of Punjab Rangers – in riot gear – also joined the police operation. On Tuesday night, the provincial government had sought three companies of Punjab Rangers to reinforce the police contingent.
But after they withdrew, Khan was seen standing outside his home, wearing a gas mask and talking to supporters, as they cheered and celebrated “chasing the troops away”.
The development occurred hours after the PTI chairman called on the judiciary and military establishment to end the “farce”, as the troops resumed the standoff with his supporters after a night of violent clashes.
The crackdown on Khan and supporters of the opposition party came as the government of Shehbaz Sharif attempted to arrest the former prime minister, accusing him of failing to appear in court on what he calls trumped-up charges.
Zaman Park remained under siege since Wednesday morning and the government was sending additional police to tackle the situation after hundreds of his supporters showed unexpected perseverance.
In an early morning address to workers via video link, Khan expressed concern over the escalating situation and the lack of control he has over the workers.
“The kinds of actions that are taking place […] the boys [supporters] outside [my home] are not listening to me. When this anarchy and shelling is taking place against them, they won’t listen to me anymore,” he said. “I have no control over them now.”
As a result, Khan said he believes the only hope for a resolution lies with the judiciary and establishment. He urged them to put the country’s interests first and to end the ongoing chaos.
“Do not work on this London plan [sic]. This country is heading towards destruction. It is my appeal to all of you that now, think of this country,” he added, in reference to an alleged understanding between the military and deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif to keep Khan from coming to office.
Earlier in the day, the party said Khan’s residence was “under extreme attack” as it posted footage of law enforcement personnel opening fire on unarmed protestors.
In a tweet, the party shared a video and claimed “open firing by Rangers and police”, but did not specify when the video was filmed. Pakistan Today could not independently verify the claim.
It added that Zaman Park is “under extreme attack”.
In the morning, Khan emerged from his house to meet with his supporters, who faced tear gas and police baton the whole night to save him from arrest. He said he was ready to travel to Islamabad on March 18 under his arrest warrant, but police did not accept the offer.
IHC maintains Imran’s arrest warrants
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) maintained the non-bailable arrest warrants of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case and directed him to approach the trial court for relief.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq announced the verdict which was earlier reserved on the petition filed by Imran Khan against his non-bailable arrest warrants issued by the trial court in the Toshakhana case.
The court heard the case after the removal of the objections raised by the Registrar Office.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer Khwaja Haris adopted the stance that the IHC had previously suspended the arrest warrants of Imran Khan and ordered him to appear before the trial court on March 13, but he could not attend the proceedings on that day.
To the court’s query, the lawyer said his client was present at his residence on the said date, while they had told the sessions court that the complaint against him was not maintainable. Legal procedure was not followed as the District Election Commissioner was not authorized to file a complaint against his client. Only the Election Commissioner of Pakistan (ECP) could lodge a such complaint as per law.
Khwaja Haris also produced the undertaking of Imran Khan, which was received through WhatsApp.
The chief justice observed that it was mandatory for the accused to comply with the summons and appear before the court. The IHC had instructed the accused to appear before the trial court on March 13, otherwise, his arrest warrants would be restored.
Justice Farooq said the respect of the courts was very important and the law should be implemented without any discrimination.
The trial court’s order was intact until it was terminated by it, he added.
Justice Farooq remarked that with violence in Lahore, the world was told that “we don’t follow the law”. The activists and workers of a political party were attacking the police, which was, in fact, an attack against the state as the police personnel were deputed by the state, he added.
He asked whether anyone in the United Kingdom even touched the uniform of a policeman there.
Earlier addressing Imran Khan’s lawyer, the chief justice said they were responsible for what was happening in Lahore. The court had given a way out to the accused previously.
Advocate General Jahangir Jadoon said Imran Khan’s lawyer had for the first time given an undertaking that his client would appear before the court on March 18. Whether he would quit the profession if the accused did not attend the proceedings on that date. he added.
Additional Attorney General Munawar Dogal said that the accused’s conduct was before the court, who had also given a similar undertaking earlier.
After hearing arguments, the court reserved the judgment and announced it later.
Earlier, the court heard the petition along with the objections of the Registrar Office. The court removed the two objections from the judicial side regarding the biometric verification and signatures of Imran Khan.
