LHC orders police to stay at 500 meters distance from Zaman Park till 10:00am today n IHC maintains Imran’s arrest warrants in Toshakhana case n Islamabad sessions court disposes of Imran’s plea against arrest warrants n LHC told 73 police personnel injured ‘due to attacks by PTI workers’ n Protesters used petrol bombs, which destroyed two police vehicles n Imran fears his assassination after arrest.

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD     -     After two days of clashes, em­battled police Wednesday halted the operation to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on the orders of the Lahore High Court. 

The high court ordered the police to immediately suspend the ongoing operation to ar­rest PTI Chairman Imran Khan in Lahore’s Zaman Park neigh­bourhood. While hearing the case, filed by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh also ordered the po­lice force to remain at 500 me­ters distance from the Mall Ca­nal Bridge, Dharampura Bridge and Sunder Das Road. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till 10:00 today (Thursday). 

The police Tuesday launched the massive operation to arrest Imran Khan, who repeatedly skipped court appearances on allegations of selling state gifts received from foreign digni­taries during his time as prime minister for millions of dollars.

On the other hand, the pro­testing PTI workers set ablaze a water tanker of the Lahore Waste Management Authority, motorcycles and other vehicles in the Zaman park vicinity. They also ransacked a warden’s office on Mall Road.

At 10:30am, the armoured police vans, once again, began moving towards the entrance of Imran’s residence. Howev­er, they retreated after nearly two hours of clashes. During the chaos, a food truck sent for PTI supporters was set on fire.

Lahore High Court’s Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh passed the orders while hearing the pe­tition. During the hearing, the Punjab Chief Secretary, IGP Pun­jab and others appeared before the court on being summoned. To a court query, the IGP Punjab submitted that the Islamabad police had sought assistance for the arrest of the PTI chairman in Toshakhana case, following issuance of his non-bailable ar­rest warrants by the trial court. He submitted that73 police per­sonnel were injured due to at­tacks by the PTI workers when they reached Zaman Park to comply with the court orders. 

‘Court wants peace in the city’

The IGP submitted that he de­cided that no police personnel or officers would carry weap­ons during the operation and the situation was controlled through the use of water can­non and tear gas. However, the PTI workers used petrol bombs, which destroyed two police ve­hicles, he said and added that not only Elite force but also ve­hicles of rangers were also at­tacked. He submitted that the Islamabad police officers and SP Amara Shirazi were also at­tacked. The IGP submitted: “We wanted to arrest those respon­sible for torture on police and stopping the police from carry­ing out its duties.” 

At this stage, the chief sec­retary Punjab submitted that the IGP Punjab had informed the court about the situation in detail. However, the court observed that whether the operation could be stopped tem­porarily, in view of the pending proceedings before the Islam­abad High Court in the matter. 

The IGP submitted that the police wanted to arrest peo­ple who damaged property. The court further observed that it wanted peace in the city and or­dered police to stop the opera­tion. The IGP submitted that he wanted to have police presence in Zaman Park. Subsequent­ly, the court ordered the IGP to withdraw police personnel from Zaman Park and station them at The Mall road bridge, Dhrampu­ra bridge and Thandi Sarak, be­sides adjourning further hear­ing till Thursday at 10am.

Earlier, the court heard the matter in the morning and sum­moned the IGP Punjab, chief secretary and other govern­ment officials.

‘ARREST WARRANTS IN TOSHAKHANA CASE’

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday main­tained the non-bailable ar­rest warrants of Pakistan Teh­reek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakha­na case and directed him to ap­proach the trial court for relief. The court asked the PTI’s law­yer to submit an undertaking regarding the appearance of Im­ran Khan before the sessions’ court which would view the matter as per law. 

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq announced the verdict which was earlier reserved on the peti­tion filed by Imran Khan against his non-bailable arrest war­rants issued by the trial court in the Toshakhana case. 

The court heard the case after the removal of the objections of the Registrar Office. 

Earlier addressing Imran Khan’s lawyer, the chief justice said they were responsible for what was happening in Lahore. The court had given a way out to the accused previously. 

Advocate General Jahangir Ja­doon said Imran Khan’s law­yer had for the first time given an undertaking that his client would appear before the court on March 18. Whether he would quit the profession if the ac­cused did not attend the pro­ceedings on that date. he added. 

Additional Attorney General Munawar Dogal said that the ac­cused’s conduct was before the court, who had also given a sim­ilar undertaking earlier.

After hearing arguments, the court reserved the judgment and announced it later. Earli­er, the court heard the petition along with the objections of the Registrar Office. The court re­moved the two objections from the judicial side regarding the biometric verification and sig­natures of Imran Khan.

‘SESSIONS COURT DISPOSES OF IMRAN ‘S PLEA’

The District and Sessions Court Islamabad Wednesday disposed of a petition of Pa­kistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chair­man Imran Khan for cancella­tion of his arrest warrants in the Toshakhana case as the plea was withdrawn by his lawyer. 

Additional District and Ses­sions Judge Zafar Iqbal heard the petition filed through Fais­al Chaudhry Advocate. At the outset of the hearing, Faisal Chaudhry adopted the stance that they were ready to give an undertaking regarding the ap­pearance of Imran Khan before the trial court. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan Teh­reek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Im­ran Khan Wednesday said that the situation was getting out of his control and it was time that the establishment and judicia­ry to play their part to save the country from sinking further into chaos and destruction in­stead of becoming a party to the ‘London plan’.

“It will soon be out of our hands, as the kinds of actions that are taking place, the work­ers outside are not listening to me. When this anarchy and shelling is taking place against them, they will not listen to me anymore. I have no control over them now. Hence, the hope now laid with the judiciary and the establishment” , he said in a statement here. 

The PTI chairman further stat­ed that the country was heading towards destruction. It is my ap­peal to all of you that now, think of this country,” he added.

Imran Khan said that the real intent of the LEAs behind the entire episode was to abduct and assassinate him. “Clearly, the arrest claim was mere dra­ma because the real intent was to abduct and assassinate. From tear gas and water cannons, they have now resorted to live firing,” he said in a statement here. ” he added.

He dismissed all Toshakha­na charges against him as “friv­olous”. He also maintained that the court where he had been summoned was not safe.

“I signed a surety bond last evening, but the DIG refused to even entertain it. There is no doubt of their mala fide intent,” he added.

Imran maintained that those currently in the government were the same people who were behind the Wazirabad attack during his party’s long march, adding that his arrest was part of the “London plan”.