ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday asked the country’s judiciary and establishment to help end the stand-off as he spoke to the party workers via video link with a stack of fired tear gas shells on his desk.
Speaking from his Zaman Park residence, Khan said that not just shells but bullets too were being fired at his residence and called the entire chaos a “plan”. He said the hope now lies with the establishment and the judiciary. “And the second hope we are seeing is from the establishment of this country. Do you have any interest in Pakistan or not? End the farce that is happening and think about the country. Do not work on this London plan. This country is heading towards destruction. It is my appeal to all of you that now, think of the country,” Khan pleaded.
In a tweet, PTI chairman 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 [the] 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?”
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. pic.twitter.com/SBcrCcYEo5
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 15, 2023
The speech came as the law enforcement agencies made another push to enter the former prime minister’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
In his address to the nation via video link, Imran said that “It will [soon] be out of our hands… the kinds of actions that are taking place… the boys (workers) 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 in his address to the workers.
With the law-enforcement agencies at the entrance of his house, Imran asked what his crime was, adding that “never have we ever witnessed this … never have I ever seen such an attack on a political leader’s house”.
BSDK rangers took over last night and here you can see your goons with the rangers https://t.co/AdeijpVXem
— Farhad Jarral (@FarhadJarralPK) March 15, 2023
The Interior Ministry, he further said, “has itself said that my life is in danger and yet again they are doing all this”.
“What did I want? All I had asked for was for the case to be transferred to a court with adequate security. But arrest warrants were issued for me. It is unprecedented that an ex-prime minister has been refused security and is being attacked.”
Khan’s residence under extreme attack: PTI
Tehreek-e-Insaf alleged on Wednesday that Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore was “under extreme attack” as it posted footages of the armed law enforcement personnel opening fire.
The stalemate between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters and the security personnel continued for the second consecutive day Wednesday as the Rangers and police made a fresh attempt to arrest Imran Khan in connection with the Toshkhana reference.
