LAHORE: The Islamabad police on Sunday reached former prime minister Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence to arrest him after his non-bailable arrest warrant was issued by the Islamabad sessions court in the Toshakhana case, ARY News reported.
Additional sessions judge Zafar Iqbal of an Islamabad court had issued the former prime minister’s non-bailable arrest warrant on February 28.
In a series of tweets, the Islamabad police said the former premier is avoiding arrest.
Taking to Twitter, Islamabad police spokesperson said that they have reached Lahore to arrest PTI chief on court orders. He said that Khan will be arrested after all legal requirements are completed.
It stated that the PTI chief was “avoiding” the arrest, adding that the superintendent of police had “gone into Imran’s room but he was not present there”.
He also warned of legal action against those creating hurdles in the arrest of the former premier. “Imran will be shifted to Islamabad under police custody,” he said.
عمران خان گرفتاری سے گریزاں ہیں۔ ایس پی صاحب کمرے میں گئے ہیں مگر وہاں عمران خان موجود نہیں۔ ٹیم عمران خان کی گرفتاری کےلیے پہنچی ہے۔
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) March 5, 2023
PTI workers gather at Zaman Park
While reacting to the reports of the arrest, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday afternoon called all party workers to reach Zaman Park in Lahore as television reports said Imran Khan would be arrested in the Toshakhana case.
In a tweet, the former information minister categorically stated that “any attempt to arrest Imran Khan will worsen the situation”.
عمران خان کی گرفتاری کی کوئ بھی کوشش حالات کو شدید خراب کر دے گی، میں اس نا اھل اور پاکستان دشمن حکومت کو خبردار کرنا چاہ رہا پاکستان کو مزید بحران میں نہ دھکیلیں اور ہوش سے کام لیں، کارکنان زمان پارک پہنچ جائیں
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 5, 2023
Another PTI leader Hammad Azhar also called on the party workers to reach Zaman Park.
تمام کارکن فوری طور پر زمان پارک پہنچیں۔
— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) March 5, 2023
In a press conference outside Imran’s residence, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the Islamabad Police had arrived at the ex-premier’s residence to execute his arrest in the Toshakhana case.
He claimed that claiming that Imran’s arrest was aimed at postponing the upcoming general elections in Punjab.
“There are 74 cases against Imran. It is humanly not possible for any person to appear in court in all these cases,” he said.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Imran was being arrested on the court’s orders and not the government’s order.
Imran Khan summons PTI leaders’ meeting
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday summoned an emergency meeting of the party’s senior leadership at Zaman Park
The meeting, likely to be chaired by Imran Khan, will discuss the current political situation and the arrival of the Islamabad police in Lahore for the delivery of the arrest warrant.
عمران خان کی زیرصدارت مرکزی لیڈر شپ کا ہنگامی اجلاس طلب#ARYNews #ImranKhan pic.twitter.com/3ttRIb0O10
— ARY NEWS (@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL) March 5, 2023
The future strategy will be finalized in the PTI huddle, say sources.
ICT to seek Punjab govt help
Following the resistance from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers in Zaman Park, the Islamabad police on Sunday decided to take assistance from the Punjab government for the arrest of PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan.
The Islamabad police team, which reached Lahore to deliver an arrest warrant to Imran Khan at Zaman Park has been asked to stay in the provincial capital of Punjab, sources said.
Toshakhana reference
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p).
In the written judgment, the ECP said: “As per the statement of Imran Khan he had purchased the gifts from Toshakhana paying 21.564 million rupees while the Cabinet Division said that the gifts had a value of 107.943 million.”
“The amount in his bank account was around half of the value of the state gifts. Imran Khan was bound to declare the cash and bank details in his returns but he didn’t declare it,” ECP decision read.
“Imran Khan being declared disqualified and unseated from his National Assembly seat,” the ECP said, adding: “He has been disqualified under Article 63, 1(P), over submitting a false statement and declaration”.
Read More: Imran Khan disqualified in Toshakhana reference by ECP
The judgement added that the former premier was found to be indulged in corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution. “A criminal proceeding will be initiated against him over filing a false statement.”
“His disqualification under Article 63, 1(P) has been for his current parliament membership”, the ECP said in its 36-page detailed judgment of the reference.
Babar Khan is ARY News' Lahore corespondent
