LHC stops police from conducting operation in Zaman Park till Friday morning

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday stopped police from conducting an operation to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan from his residence in Zaman Park in Lahore till Friday 11 am, reported Aaj News.

According to a written verdict, a copy of which is available with Business Recorder, LHC Judge Tariq Saleem Sheikh will resume the case’s hearing on Friday and an “injunctive order passed yesterday shall remain in force till then”.

The judge was referring to an order issued by the LHC on Wednesday that suspended the operation outside Zaman Park in Lahore as law enforcement personnel attempted to arrest PTI chairman in connection with the Toshkhana case till Thursday morning.

Police was set to resume the operation on Thursday and PTI workers blocked the entrance of Imran’s Zaman Park residence before LHC issued the directive.

On Tuesday, law enforcement personnel had arrived at Zaman Park to arrest former prime minister, following which they clashed with PTI supporters. By Wednesday afternoon, law enforcement personnel began retreating from the former prime minister’s residence without arresting him.

The court had also issued arrest warrant which triggered the clashes. The police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters. Later, the law enforcement also baton charged on PTI workers. In response, the PTI supporters attacked with petrol bomb which forced the police to call reinforcements.

Later, anti-riots police arrested a few PTI workers.

On Thursday, Additional District and Sessions court said that it would stop the Islamabad police from arresting PTI chairman if the former PM surrendered in court, Aaj News reported.

The same court had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against the PTI leader on March 13 after he failed to appear in the Toshakhana case hearing and instructed police to present Imran in court by March 18.