LAHORE: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has announced that his party will stage a ‘power show’ at Minar-i-Pakistan on Wednesday March 22, terming it would be a referendum on where the nation stands.
In his speech via video link here on Sunday, he said everyone will know where the nation stands and where ‘cabal of crooks and their handlers’ stand.
It may be mentioned here that Imran had earlier announced that a rally at Minar-i-Pakistan would take place on March 19 but the Lahore High Court had directed the PTI to reschedule its rally and have a dialogue with the administration.
Imran’s address comes a day after hours-long clashes were reported between PTI workers and the Capital police on Saturday after the former prime minister arrived at the Federal Judicial Complex to attend a hearing in the Toshakhana case.
LHC bars PTI from holding rally at Minar-e-Pakistan on 19th
As Imran left his Zaman Park residence to appear before the judge, a heavy contingent of police launched a search operation at his house.
In the beginning of his address, Imran said: “I wanted to talk to you all last night but I couldn’t. It was good that I didn’t because I was angry; and a person should not talk when he is angry.”
He asked what exactly his crime was; saying that the entire nation knew that he always respected the law. Imran alleged that 96 cases had been registered against him.
He alleged that the coalition government was behind the attempt on his life in Wazirabad, adding that they had the backing of ‘handlers’.
He said that the elections in Punjab were announced for April 30, following which the PTI decided to initiate its election campaign by holding a rally in Lahore on March 8.
“It was decided with the police how the rally would proceed and the police approved it. We got permission. The next day, as rally was about to start, everyone started saying that police contingents are here and placing containers.”
He said that as police appeared clad in riot control gear, it was revealed that Section 144 had been imposed in Lahore. “When elections have been announced, Section 144 cannot be imposed. Has this happened before in Pakistan’s history?
He said that when the rally started moving towards Zaman Park, police used water cannons and teargas against PTI workers. Subsequently, he decided to cancel the rally by 5pm because “I knew that they are trying to make the situation deteriorate”.
Imran further said that he asked for his hearing to be shifted from an Islamabad court due to security concerns.
He claimed that “F-8 court is a death trap,” adding that arrest warrants were issued for him for this reason. He said that police in a large number arrived at his Lahore residence over warrants issued by a magistrate.
“There were constant attacks here at my home. Has this ever happened before in the history of Pakistan?” He asked that if he just had to mark his attendance in a court in Islamabad, why his home was being attacked from three sides. “Rangers were arriving in armoured vehicles, coming in after jumping over walls like some commando action is taking place.”
Imran said that he was ready to hand himself over to the police but he was stopped from doing so by his party workers who feared harm to him. When I left my house, I said goodbyes to my wife. I knew that I would either be arrested or killed. With that thought in mind, I left my home, he said.
He said that when he reached the toll plaza, police had closed down the motorway. “Only one lane was open. They had in mind that once my car leaves, they will close it behind me so that rest of the cars cannot follow the whole of Islamabad was closed down as if for a major criminal. He alleged that the government intended to either “murder him or take him into custody and then shift him to Balochistan.
The PTI chief said police tear gassed his party workers who were walking alongside his car as they wanted a reaction. He said that once his car reached the judicial complex, police again tear gassed his workers.
He said that when he was at the gate, police also started beating the worker surrounding his car. They were waiting for me to step out of the car and then kill me.
Talking about the police operation at Zaman Park, Imran said officials broke down the gate and walls while only his wife, Bushra Bibi, and a select few servants were present.
He said that officials knew that Bushra Bibi, a woman who was not involved in politics, was home alone. “To do this at someone’s home, tell me what you would have felt. I am asking ‘my army officers’ what would you have felt, he asked, posing the same question to police officials. He alleged that officials carrying out the operation ‘looted’ his home. “They looted whatever they found.” He also targeted Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar.
He said that the PTI would approach the courts against every single officer that entered Zaman Park. He further said that he would initiate contempt proceedings in the LHC.
The PTI chief also said that the party would approach the courts against Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the Punjab police.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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