Daily Times

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday that he fears the government may launch a fresh “operation” during the Eid ul Fitr holidays at his Zaman Park residence in a bid to arrest him, a private TV channel reported.

The PTI chief made this claim during the hearing of a plea filed by him seeking to halt “coercive government action” against PTI and quashment of multiple cases filed against him on identical charges. A two-member bench headed by Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh conducted a hearing into the PTI chief’s petition.

Filed by the PTI on Saturday, the plea nominated nine authorities and individuals as respondents including the prime minister, interior minister, Punjab caretaker chief minister, inspector general of police Punjab, the National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency.

During the hearing, Khan’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar told the court that state machinery was being used against his client. He urged the court to stop the registration of cases against the PTI chief. “Everything has a limit in all cases the police are the complainant,” said Safdar, citing the Wazirabad incident and Zile Shah case where the police were the complainant. “If your stance has been recorded then it shouldn’t remain an issue,” Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh remarked.

However, Safdar told the bench that in all cases terrorism charges were included, adding that the court cannot remain silent over the misuse of authority. “We have to fight on all fronts. Coming to take bail every day is not the solution,” said Safdar. He added that in the cases registered, so far, there is no need to arrest the PTI chief. “Now, Eid is coming and the court will not be working. During these days the police may open another front at Zaman Park,”

Safdar said, adding that the police should not be allowed to register a case within these days. “Is there any such precedence?” Justice Sheikh asked. Upon this, the PTI chief came to the rostrum and told the bench that the court had ordered the police not to launch an operation in Zaman Park yet it happened.

“Now during holidays, they will launch an operation. I have credible reports that they will launch an operation. The court must stop them,” Khan urged, adding that the “law of the jungle” prevails here first people are arrested then they are informed about the accusations. “I am just informing you about the threats beforehand,” Khan said and returned to his seat. Anwar Mansoor, Khan’s other lawyer, said that such actions are being used to stop the elections. “A political leader is being threatened with arrest so he does not go to the people,” said the lawyer. Following this, the Punjab government’s lawyer told the court that seeking the court’s permission for investigating someone is not legal. “Courts have been rejecting such petitions,” the Punjab government lawyer said.

On this, Justice Sheikh asked the lawyer when there was no need to arrest in old cases and then why does the government want to take action after the registration of new cases. However, the government’s lawyer maintained that the petition was unmaintainable.

Moving on, Justice Sheikh remarked that the petition was fine apart from the inclusion of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as a respondent. Khan’s lawyer told the court that the government machinery has never been used like it has been used against his client. On this, Justice Sheikh informed the counsel that the Punjab government lawyer had referred to the cases of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Hamza Shahbaz, and Maryam Nawaz. At this point, Khan once again came to the rostrum and told the court that the government violated the orders of the court despite its order. “I am trying to stop the bloodshed. We have no faith in this system,” Khan said.

The court took a brief break and when Justice Sheikh and Justice Farooq Haider returned they announced that they are sending the case to the chief justice of the LHC for the formation of a full bench on the case.