Staff Report
LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday demanded public hearing of the Toshakhana case against him so the masses become aware of the reality of the case.
While addressing his party workers and supporters at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore, Imran Khan paid tribute to them for the way they participated in the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ (court arrest movement). “I am a former Prime Minister and have faced an assassination attempt. My life is in danger; my lawyer will write to the Chief Justice,” Khan said.
Imran Khan claimed that his opponents wanted to remove him from the path. He said there is no security, and they are called on ridiculous cases. “I will write to the Chief Justice who is responsible, repeatedly calling me in a fake case,” he said.
Imran Khan came down hard on the “state institutions” amid his arrest controversy in the Toshakhana case registered against him.
The former prime minister stressed he was “not going to bow in front of anyone and nor allow anyone else from his party to do so.”
He claimed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was “about to be convicted by National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency for Rs16 billion of corruption, but General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa rescued him.
“PM Shehbaz was rescued by the former chief of army staff, General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, who kept getting [the] NAB cases trial postponed.
Islamabad police in Lahore to arrest Khan in Toshakhana case
The Islamabad police today arrived at Imran’s residence earlier in the day to take him into custody for his persistent absences from Toshakhana court hearings.
Interestingly, Imran Khan’s chief of staff, Senator Shibli Faraz, claimed that the former prime minister was not at his Zaman Park residence.
Khan’s appearance comes amid a swarm of PTI workers gathered at Zaman Park after the Islamabad police arrived in Lahore to arrest Khan for the Toshakhana case.
Additional sessions judge Zafar Iqbal had issued Imran Khan’s non-bailable arrest warrant on February 28 for failing to appear before the court in the Toshakhana case.
An Islamabad police officer told media at Zaman Park that the police were in Lahore on the court’s order due to Imran Khan’s persistent absence from the court.
IG Islamabad said that the officers were in Lahore to arrest the PTI leader.
“I appeal to the people not to create hurdles for the police in implementing the court orders.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad police, in a tweet, said that they would transfer Imran Khan to Islamabad under their protection.
“Legal action will be initiated against those who try to hinder the execution of court orders,” the police said.
The police said that Imran Khan is avoiding arrest, adding that SP Hussain Tahir went to the former premier’s room but could not find him there.