The Islamabad police on Tuesday used water cannon and tear gas to disperse PTI workers gathered outside party chief Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
The police team reached Lahore to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan after a district and sessions court issued his non-bailable arrest warrants for failing to attend the hearing in Toshakhana reference.
In a statement, the Islamabad police spokesperson said that they have reached Lahore to arrest PTI chief on court orders.
Fawad Chaudhry 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.
اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ میں توشہ خانہ کیس میں عمران خان کے وارنٹ گرفتاری چیلنج کر دئیے گئے ہیں ، کچھ دیر بعد سماعت کا امکان ہے، شبلی فراز اور بیرسٹر گوہر اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ پہنچ گئے ہیں
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 14, 2023
In a video message shared on Twitter, the PTI chief urged the nation to stand resolute and fight for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi (real freedom) and rule of law’.
Imran Khan noted that the government believes the nation will ‘not react’ if he gets arrested, urging the party workers and supporters to prove the incumbent rulers ‘wrong’.
“You [the nation] have to prove that we are a living nation”, the former premier said, asking the nation to continue its struggle for real freedom and come out of their houses. He further said that he will continue to fight for the supremacy of Rule of Law.
As soon as the news of the police action at Lahore’s Zaman Park spread, a number of people came out on streets and blocked Karachi’s Maripur Road and other areas.