After a day-long escalation continued between PTI supporters and law enforcement agencies outside ex-premier Imran Khan’s residence, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday stopped the police operation at Zaman Park till 10am today (Thursday) while the Islamabad High Court (IHC) disposed of a plea seeking the cancellation of the PTI chief’s arrest warrants. The situation at Zaman Park was peaceful even as droves of PTI workers remained outside Imran Khan’s residence On Wednesday morning, Islamabad Police, backed by Punjab Police and Rangers resumed efforts – which began on Tuesday – to arrest the ex-premier in connection with the Toshkhana case. Imran has skipped indictment several times, which led to the judge issuing non-bailable arrest warrants for him. However, they were met with strong resistance from PTI workers, who pelted stones at them. The police responded with volleys of tear gas. After an hours-long back and forth – described by international media as “pitched battles” – the personnel pulled back to Mall Road, from where they cleared out. LHC’s Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh, while hearing a petition filed by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry seeking to stop the “atrocities” outside Zaman Park, passed these orders. Earlier, the court had instructed Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar, the provincial chief secretary and Islamabad police (operations) head to appear in court by 3pm.
As the LHC took up Chaudhry’s petition, Imran’s lawyer stated that what had happened outside Zaman Park was a violation of fundamental rights. “Imran’s residence has become a war zone. The police have been stationed there for the past 21 hours,” he said. For his part, Punjab Advocate General Shaun Gill said that the matter was pending before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and Fawad’s plea could not be heard in the LHC. Justice Sheikh inquired about the Islamabad police official who was heading the operation to arrest Imran in Lahore and summoned him to court. The government’s lawyer said that the Islamabad advocate general represented the capital’s police. “We have to fix this matter somehow,” the court remarked and warned that the court would issue arrest warrants for the Islamabad police official if he didn’t appear in court. It also summoned the Punjab police chief and the provincial chief secretary. When the officials appeared in the LHC, the government’s lawyer said that the Islamabad police official couldn’t appear in court, adding that the IHC had reserved its verdict on a PTI plea seeking cancellation of Imran’s arrest warrants. The court then asked the Punjab police chief what was the solution to the present situation to which the latter replied that he was in a meeting with the Election Commission of Pakistan when the Islamabad police arrived in Lahore.