LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan reached his Zaman Park residence in Lahore after midnight Friday as he spent two days in Islamabad being at the heart of a high drama that started at the Islamabad High Court on May 9.
Khan was warmly received by the party workers and supporters who gathered at his Zaman Park residence to celebrate his release. Before leaving for Lahore, the former prime minister said that the Inspector General of Islamabad police made extensive efforts to prevent him from leaving Islamabad. For a duration of three hours, he kept me waiting, claiming that it was highly risky to venture outside.
“By persuading him that we would inform the entire Pakistani nation about his act of kidnapping and forcefully detaining us, we managed to secure our release,” Khan said. “Under pressure, he eventually permitted our departure,” he said further.
Khan’s arrest on corruption charges earlier this week led to violent protests but the Supreme Court later declared his arrest from Islamabad High Court illegal – a verdict criticised by the leaders of the ruling coalition of the Pakistan Democratic Movement.
In the short hours of Friday, Khan took a road route to reach his Lahore residence, marking his return after a tumultuous period. Prior to this, he appeared before different courts at the Islamabad High Court where he was granted bail.
After being granted bail, Khan remained within the court premises for several hours, waiting for the written order to avoid a possible re-arrest by the police upon his departure.
