Imran manages to elude arrest in Lahore and calls for a “public trial” of those responsible for the Toshakhana crime.
PTI reports that Imran Khan is “unavailable” when police approached his apartment in Zaman Park with court orders for his arrest.
Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), called for a public trial in the Toshakhana case on Sunday in front of a throng assembled at Zaman Park, hours after police said he was trying to avoid arrest.
In connection with arrest warrants filed in the Toshakhana (gift repository) case against him, Islamabad police travelled to Lahore on Sunday to make the arrest of Imran.
Police sources claim that the former premier is eluding capture.
The PTI chairman was not present when the police came, so SP City Rana Hussain Tahir went to the room at Imran’s Zaman Park home where he was supposed to be.
However, speaking to PTI employees from his home, Imran claimed that his invitation to them was “to express gratitude” and not “to enhance his personal confidence”.
Imran emphasised that he was “not going to bend in front of anyone” and that he would not permit anyone else (from his party and followers) to do so. He compared his cause to a holy mission and declared that his “war for true freedom” will continue.
However, he implied that the same was not true in his case while asserting that he was not responsible for the cases brought against the leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
Imran asserted that another assassination plot had been developed and that Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah, and “Dirty Harry” were still in charge.
He added, “I went to Lahore and Islamabad High Court and there was no security,” adding that his legal team would write the Pakistani chief justice a letter to draw his attention to the situation.
“It looks as though the ones who should be responsible to ensure protection are the true risk,” he remarked as he amped up his rhetoric against Shehbaz, Sanaullah and “Dirty Harry” in particular.
Terming the cases against him as “comical” Imran also called for a public trial of his Toshakhana case.
He noted the nation’s economic situation as well as the deterioration of the rule of law and declared, “Your and your children’s future is quite grim.
All members of the “Jail Bharo” movement were also praised by Imran for making him proud.
PTI threatens widespread protests
Meanwhile, PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry has encouraged all PTI supporters to assemble outside Imran’s Lahore residence and he told media outside Zaman Park that the goal of calling Imran to these courts was to “try yet another attack on him”.
He said that the government was behind the assassination plot, saying that they wanted Imran Khan to appear in court so that the terrorists, who are of their own making, would have a chance to kill him.
He further added that both the federal and the caretaker Punjab governments wanted “to promote instability so that polls can be skipped” and “we are dealing with the legal concerns as per law in the courts”.
He added that nationwide nonviolent protests would be “unlike anything anyone has ever seen before” if the PTI head is detained.
The situation would drastically worsen if Imran Khan were to be arrested, Fawad had earlier warned.
He emphasised that the detention would be “illegal” and urged the government to “act sensibly” and “not force Pakistan into more crises”.
He asserted that the arrest was unlawful because the court warrant was just for presence.
While the Islamabad police’s notification has been received, “there are no orders for arrest in it,” PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters outside Imran’s Lahore residence.
On the other side, the ICT police has posted a statement on Twitter claiming that it is carrying out all activities with the assistance of the Lahore Police and that it is doing so in accordance with court orders.
The police warned that anyone interfering with the execution of court orders will face legal repercussions.
“Imran Khan will be transported by police to Islamabad while they provide security. Law applies equally to everybody, “said the statement.
A district and sessions court in Islamabad had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the former prime minister last week due to his repeated absences from the Toshakhana case judge’s courtroom.
Imran had travelled to Islamabad on Tuesday to appear before various courts there, but his attorney had asked Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal to grant him a leave of absence at a later date.
Imran’s attorney had argued that he couldn’t bring Imran before the judge. He had however added that if his client was able to escape the courthouse in time, he would show up in court.
It should be noted that the sessions court, where the PTI leader was required to appear in the Toshakhana reference and an attempted murder case, is situated in F-8 Kachehri, about a half-drive hour’s from the courthouse.
Judge Iqbal had voiced his shock that Imran could appear before other courts in the judicial complex but not in this one after becoming irritated by the lawyer’s comments.
He needs to show up because charges will be filed here. He may depart once they have been falsely accused, the judge had stressed.
Then, the court adjourned for a break.
During the restart of the proceedings, the judge delayed the hearing until March 7 while issuing the non-bailable warrants.
