Imran smells a rat as police search looms

Govt team to meet PTI chief; police arrest 8 fleeing suspects

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday reiterated that the violence on May 9 was pre-planned to justify crackdown on his party, as police continued the roadblocks around his residence at Zaman Park.

In a series of tweets, the PTI chief also alleged that the caretaker Punjab government was planning to bring 30-40 people to his residence and accuse him of harbouring terrorists.

Imran’s tweets came as the government announced that a delegation would visit Zaman Park on Friday afternoon (today) for talks with Imran's representatives, regarding the search of his residence for the suspects wanted for May 9 violence in the city.

On Wednesday, heavy contingents of police and Anti-Riot Force (ARF) closed the roads to Zaman Park at Mall Road, Dharampura, Canal Road and Garhi Shahu, asking Imran to surrender 40 people suspected of attacking the Jinnah House.

The government gave the PTI chief a 24-hour deadline to surrender the “suspected miscreants”, warning that otherwise an operation would be launched. The deadline expired on Thursday.

Later, caretaker Punjab Information Minister Aamir Mir said that the Punjab police would send a delegation led by the Lahore commissioner to Zaman Park on Friday (today) to search the PTI chairman’s house after his permission.

In an interview with a private TV channel, Mir also stated that contingents comprising nearly 400 policemen would accompany the delegation “to arrest the terrorists holed up there”.

Taking to the microblogging website Twitter, Imran demanded an immediate inquiry into the alleged police firing on “unarmed” PTI protesters that killed 25 and injured around 600. So far, he added, there was no mention of the killing of peaceful protesters.

“Under the smokescreen of arson, which any independent investigation will show was pre-planned, there is no mention in the media discourse of the massive violations of our fundamental right to protest peacefully,” he wrote.

The PTI chief, in another tweet, raised the question when the “illegal” caretaker Punjab government announced that 40 terrorists were hiding at his residence, why had it not named them.

“The reason… was because what they were planning to bring 30-40 people with them and then accuse me [of] harbouring terrorists just like the last time when they broke into my house through an armoured car and then planted Kalashnikov and petrol bombs.”

The PTI chief later tweeted that his sympathies went out to all those, who “under pressure”, had been made to leave the party. “I commend and salute all the senior members who are resisting the extreme pressure to quit the party,” he added.

He maintained that the nation would always remember them for standing up for “Haqeeqi Azaadi” (true independence).

In yet another tweet, he wrote that it was time for all citizens to raise their voice before it was too late.

“While the country sinks into its worst economic crisis [especially the] unprecedented inflation and unemployment, all those in power are concentrating on how to crush the biggest and the only federal party by unleashing a reign of terror,” he charged.

Imran claimed that his political rivals could not defeat his party in the elections. He also ruled out negotiations with anyone, insisting that he would only negotiate with the ruling coalition on the date of the elections.

Meanwhile, unlike the past few months, Zaman Park presented a deserted look on Thursday. In the past, whenever an announcement – or even a rumour – about Imran’s possible arrest appeared on the PTI’s social media platforms, the party workers would reach Zaman Park in huge numbers.

In a few instances, the announcements were made after midnight and the response of the workers was astonishing as they responded in hundreds even in the cold winter nights. Besides, they also gathered in other parts of the city, especially Liberty Chowk.

The PTI workers would describe the arrest of Imran as their red line. As a routine matter, about 1,000-2,000 people would constantly remain outside Imran’s residence, setting up their camps.

However, since Wednesday, despite severe apprehensions of arrest expressed by the PTI chief, the workers remained lost throughout the provincial capital. They could not be spotted despite hectic search on roads.

The deadline offered by the Punjab government of surrendering the miscreants involved in the May 9 mayhem ended at 2pm. Though the police did not advance any further but it kept the entry and exit points of Zaman Park sealed with containers and barricades.

Civil Lines Superintendent of Police (SP) Hassan Javed Bhatti said that they had arrested at least eight suspects, allegedly involved in subversive activities on May 9, while trying to flee the premises during the day.

The local residents and commuters complained of facing difficulties because of the police blockade. However, officials said that the City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL) had set up diversions to maintain flow of traffic and shift the load to adjacent roads.

Meanwhile, investigation to identify the suspects involved in the May 9 attacks on military installations continued. The investigators prepared a list of 300 women, allegedly involved in the arson attack on the Lahore corps commander’s house.

After geo-fencing of the Jinnah House on May 9, the investigators had pointed out that more than 40 activists were in “aggressive contact with PTI leaders, including Hammad Azhar, Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mehmoodur Rasheed and Mian Aslam Iqbal.

Phone communications and WhatsApp groups were also being analysed and dissected as part of the investigation. Deputy Inspector General, Investigations, Lahore Kamran Adil had confirmed three days ago, that the police were checking WhatsApp groups also.

A few audio communications through social media apps between PTI ticketholders, staunch militant supporters and leadership with clear instructions of entering the Jinnah House, committing vandalism, arson had also surfaced.

(WITH INPUT FROM TALIB FARIDI)