—– Punjab govt gives PTI leadership 24 hours to hand over ‘30-40 terrorists holed up in Zaman Park’
—– Provincial Info Minister claims attacks on May 9 were ‘pre-planned’ by the PTI leadership as a consequence of Khan’s arrest
—– PTI Chief denies allegations, invites Law Enforcers to come for search operation in a civilised manner
—– IHC extends order barring Imran’s arrest in new cases till May 31
—– Maleeka Bokhari, Ali Muhammad Khan, Shireen Mazari re-arrested
By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Punjab Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir on Wednesday said around “30 to 40 terrorists” who allegedly attacked military installations in the wake of PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest last week were being shel-tered inside Zaman Park and the party leadership has 24 hours to hand them over.
“We have intelligence that some 30 to 40 terrorists who were involved in attacking our army’s buildings and installa-tions are hiding at Zaman Park,” said Mir, referring to the Lahore neighbourhood where Imran lives.
Imran was whisked away from the IHC premises by paramilitary forces on May 9, leading to violent protests across the country.
Some protesters breached the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, while others ransacked and eventually set on fire the corps commander’s residence in Lahore. The military has described the events as a “black chapter”.
In his presser today, Mir alleged that the people involved in the corps commander’s residence were in contact with the PTI leadership. He said the party leadership had 24 hours to surrender the suspects, and that “the law would come into action” if they did not comply.
Imran Khan’s residence was the scene of pitched battles in March when PTI supporters clashed with police when they attempted to arrest him in the Toshakhana case.
“The handlers of these attacks who were there were in contact with them (PTI leaders),” Mir said. A joint investigation team (JIT) has also been formed to investigate the events of May 9, he said.
Mir said the total number of arrests so far had exceeded 3,400 with a total of 254 registered cases, out of which 78 were handed to investigators on physical remand and 609 on judicial remand.
“The arrests are ongoing and the identification of these people will continue until the last person is in custody,” Mir said.
He added that the suspect would then be presented in military and anti-terrorism courts as previously decided by the civil and military leadership on Tuesday.
Mir also stated that the Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi had issued directives to the police to not use weapons against the protesters. “The fundamental reason for this was that he did not want anyone to die,” he added.
With regard to the investigations, Mir said the chief minister had given clear instructions to ensure that no innocent person is wrongly accused of these crimes.
“Complete scrutiny is being done on the detainees and their cases are only forwarded after 100 per cent confirma-tion,” he added.
Mir alleged that the “attacks” on May 9 were “pre-planned” by the PTI leadership as a consequence of Khan’s arrest. “It is safe to say, like the TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan), the PTI is also taking up the role of a non-state actor,” he added.
Latter, PTI Chairman Imran Khan has denied presence of rioters what Punjab government entitled as ‘terrorists’ at his Zaman Park residence, saying if there were terrorists inside his house his safety from them was also mandatory.
Addressing his party workers, the deposed prime minister said that if the police come with a search warrant to carry out an operation at his Zaman Park residence, he would not put up resistance against them.
“I have just heard that 40 terrorists are hiding at my residence. Please do come here [but] in a civilised manner and don’t attempt to storm my residence,” he said while addressing his supporters.
“If 40 terrorists are present at my house, then my life is also in danger. Please carry out a search operation but tell me the names of terrorists and we will show you our entire house.”
He also warned against using the search operation against terrorists as a pretext to attack his house saying “don’t fan this fire any further”.
Extending the same invitation, PTI leader Iftikhar Durrani has invited the media to Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence and the Punjab Police — not exceeding four people — can search the property in the media’s presence.
“All Media is invited to Zaman Park. In their presence Punjab police ( not exceeding 4 people ) can come with search warrants and search in presence of Media. All possible cooperation shall be extended to Punjab Police.”
Besides, PTI leaders Shireen Mazari, Malika Bokhari and Ali Muhammad Khan were on Wednesday arrested again, hours after they were released from custody on Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) orders.
Mazari’s daughter, Imaan Mazari, confirmed the arrest of her mother a third time on her Twitter handle and said: “They have taken her again”.
Meanwhile, another PTI leader Maleeka Bokhari was also arrested again after she was released from jail.
The IHC had earlier ordered the release of Bokhari. However, the Punjab Police rearrested Malika hours after her re-lease. According to police, Bokhari was arrested from outside Adiala Jail and the police shifted took her to an unknown location.
Meanwhile, PTI leader Mohammad Khan was also arrested again outside the district jail in Jhelum.
Punjab police officials took Ali Muhammad Khan into custody and shifted him to an unknown location after he was re-leased on the orders of the IHC.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended its order to prevent the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in cases filed against him after May 9. The extension is effective until May 31.
Last week, an IHC bench accepted Imran’s bail petition in the Al-Qadir Trust case for two weeks, a day after the Su-preme Court termed his arrest in the case “invalid and unlawful”.
It had also stopped authorities from arresting the PTI chief until May 17 in any case registered in Islamabad after May 9 — the day of his arrest.
