Imran Khan arrest Highlights: Putting a halt! Pakistan security forces withdraw from premises of ex-Pak PM’s home

Pakistan has withdrawn its security forces from in and around Imran Khan's house. The move is to put a halt to clashes that had erupted after the police tried to arrest Khan from his home for not showing up in court for the Toshakhana case.

The current volatile political situation in Pakistan has become a factor in delaying a much-needed deal with the Washington-based IMF that may stabilise the cash-strapped country's economy, according to a media report on Wednesday. Pakistan's economy is in dire straits. The country is awaiting a much-needed USD 1.1 billion tranche of funding from the International Monetary Fund. (PTI)

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Wednesday claimed that party chief Imran Khan was attacked through bullets and expired tear gas and etc. PTI took to Twitter via its official account and posted, “Pakistan's most popular leader and former Prime Minister was attacked through bullets, expired tear gas and etc. The fascism of this regime stands exposed.”

Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan throw stones toward riot police officers firing tear gas to disperse them during clashes, in Lahore on Wednesday. (Image: AP/PTI)

A heavy contingent of Punjab Rangers joined the police personnel near Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence to launch a fresh attempt at arresting Imran Khan for failing to appear in court on graft charges. Lahore's Zaman Park area has turned into a battleground after Khan's defiant supporters engaged in pitched battles with police personnel on Tuesday to stop them from arresting their leader, resulting in injuries to dozens of policemen, reported PTI.

Early Wednesday, Khan emerged from his house to meet with his supporters, who had faced tear gas and police batons through the night to save him from arrest. He said he was ready to travel to Islamabad on March 18 under his arrest warrant, but police did not accept the offer, reported AP.

PTI in a tweet on Wednesday quoted Imran Khan who said, “My house has been under heavy attack since yesterday afternoon. Latest attack by Rangers, pitting the largest pol party against the army. This is what PDM and the enemies of Pakistan want. No lessons learnt from the East Pakistan tragedy.”

Imran Khan on Wednesday warned the police that considering the situation outside his residence, things will soon get out of hand. “It will soon be out of our hands… the kinds of actions that are taking place… the boys outside are not listening to me. When this anarchy and shelling is taking place against them, they won’t listen to me anymore. I have no control over them now,” the PTI chief said.

Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan chant anti government slogans as they gather outside the Khan's residence, in Lahore on Wednesday. (Image: AP/PTI)

As per fresh reports, Punjab Rangers have joined police personnel near Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence on Wednesday to launch a fresh attempt at arresting former Pak PM.

According to Reuters, Imran Khan on Wednesday said that he would heed a court summons, as his supporters continued to clash with security forces that had come to arrest the former prime minister for not showing up in a case against him related to selling state gifts.

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen has said that demanding restoration of peace is not treachery against the state but their constitutional right, as per Pakistan-based Dawn newspaper reported.

Police use water cannon to disperse supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during clashes, in Lahore on Wednesday. (Image: AP/PTI)

A part of Zaman Park where Imran Khan lives, remains under siege and the government has sent additional police to tackle the intense situation. Khan on Wednesday emerged from his house to meet with the supporters who had assembled at his house and tackled the police. He said he was ready to travel to Islamabad on March 18 under his arrest warrant, but police did not accept the offer.

For those unaware, Imran Khan had claimed that the attempt to arrest him is all a part of “London plan”. He claimed that the plan is to finish all cases against the country's former chief Nawaz Sharif. In his video message he said that an agreement has been signed in London to put him in jail.

Lahore's Zaman Park area has turned into a battleground after supporters of Imran Khan clashed with the police for over 11 hours in an attempt to stop them from arresting ex-Pak PM. As per a PTI report, many rushed to Zama park after various PTI leaders — including Khan himself — appealed to party workers to do so. The protestors served as human shields and stood between Khan's residence and the police.

Khan claims that 76 cases have been registered against him since the time he was ousted by a parliamentary vote in April 2022, as per Reuters. He has appeared in court for other cases. If convicted, Khan faces being barred from holding public office, which would be a huge setback as the national election is scheduled for November.

Imran Khan took to twitter on Wednesday morning and said, ” After our workers & ldrship faced police onslaught since yesterday morning of tear gas, cannons with chemical water, rubber bullets & live bullets this morning; we now have Rangers taking over & are now in direct confrontation with the people. My question to the Establishment, to those who claim they are “neutral”: Is this your idea of neutrality, Rangers directly confronting unarmed protestors & ldrship of largest pol party when their ldr is facing an illegal warrant & case already in court & when govt of crooks trying to abduct & possibly murder him?”

Clashes between Pakistan police and supporters of Imran Khan continued outside his Lahore residence on Wednesday. This is a day after the police went to arrest him for failing to appear in court in Toshakhana case. The clashes were triggered in Pakistan's major cities, including Karachi, Islamabad, the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Quetta among other cities.