IMRAN KHAN ARREST: PRO-KHAN PROTESTS ERUPT IN PAKISTAN

Tue 14 March 2023:

Protests broke out in major cities on Tuesday at the call of PTI Chairman Imran Khan as police and party workers continued to clash outside his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

Intermittent tear gas shelling is ongoing at Zaman Park as police is currently camped out at a security barrier outside the neighbourhood. PTI workers, meanwhile, have laid siege to the path leading to Imran’s residence as well as Canal Road.

Protests have broken out in Islamabad, Peshawar, Karachi and Rawalpindi after Imran called on his supporters to “come out” following police’s use of tear gas and water cannons on supporters outside Zaman Park.

Internet, mobile services blocked near Khan’s house

Mobile signals have been blocked in the area of Lahore where Khan’s house is located.

Local TV channels have also stopped broadcasting from the area.

Khan calls on his supporters to keep fighting ‘for real freedom’

Khan has posted a video message on Twitter saying his supporters should fight for their rights – “for real freedom” – if he is arrested.

“Police are here to send me to jail,” he said in the video. “They think if Imran Khan goes to jail, this nation will go to sleep. You have to prove them wrong.”

“[If] something happens to me, if they send me to jail or if I am killed, you have to show you can fight without me as well,” he said.

My message to the nation to stand resolute and fight for Haqeeqi Azadi & rule of law. pic.twitter.com/bgVuOjsmHG

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 14, 2023

Teargas, water cannon outside Khan’s residence

Clashes have erupted between the Pakistani police and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan ahead of his possible arrest in the eastern city of Lahore.

Police fired teargas and water cannon as hundreds of members and supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party gathered outside his Zaman Park residence.

Both police and Khan supporters injured in Lahore

A number of police officials and PTI supporters have been injured in Lahore.

Police fired teargas at Khan’s house while also charging his supporters with batons. Police lobbed teargas shells as the former prime minister’s supporters hurled rocks and bricks at the officers.

Pro-Khan protests erupt in other cities in Pakistan

Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said that in addition to scuffles between police and Khan’s supporters in Lahore, protests are now taking place in other parts of Pakistan.

“Khan’s residence has now been taken under siege,” Hyder said. “In Karachi, there have been protests at several locations. There is a likelihood that this could go well beyond Lahore and affect other cities where Khan has huge support.”

Abid Hussain, Al Jazeera’s digital correspondent in Pakistan, said videos on social media show PTI workers gathering in the northern city of Peshawar too.

Court schedules hearing in state gifts case for Wednesday

The PTI party has challenged the issuance of an arrest warrant against Khan for allegedly selling state gifts. The party’s plea to hear the case on Tuesday was rejected, and the hearing has now been scheduled for Wednesday.

In a tweet, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said a new date has been set by the court, so the police must end their operation and wait for court orders.

On Monday, a sessions court in Islamabad issued an arrest warrant for Khan in the state gifts case after he repeatedly skipped hearings. The court directed police to ensure Khan’s presence in court by Saturday.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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