The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday halted police operations at Zaman Park until 10am on tomorrow (March 16), hours after a daylong escalation between
PTI supporters and law enforcement agencies outside the residence of former prime minister Imran continued. These orders were made by Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh of the LHC after hearing a petition submitted by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry to stop the “atrocities” outside Zaman Park. The Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar, the provincial chief secretary, and the head of Islamabad police (operations) were earlier ordered by the court to appear in court by 3pm.
On Wednesday morning, Islamabad Police, backed by Punjab Police and Rangers resumed efforts — which began on Tuesday — to arrest the ex-premier in connection with the Toshkhana case. Imran has skipped indictment several times, which led to the judge issuing non-bailable arrest warrants for him. However, they were met with strong resistance from PTI workers, who pelted stones at them. The police responded with volleys of tear gas. After an hours-long back and forth — described by international media as “pitched battles” — the personnel pulled back to Mall Road, from where they cleared out.
As the LHC took up Chaudhry’s petition, Imran’s lawyer stated that what had happened outside Zaman Park today was a violation of fundamental rights. “Imran’s residence has become a war zone. The police have been stationed there for the past 21 hours,” he said. For his part, Punjab Advocate General Shaun Gill said that the matter was pending before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and Fawad’s plea could not be heard in the LHC. Justice Sheikh inquired about the Islamabad police official who was heading the operation to arrest Imran in Lahore and summoned him to court.
Here, the government’s lawyer said that the Islamabad advocate general represented the capital’s police. “We have to fix this matter somehow,” the court remarked and warned that the court would issue arrest warrants for the Islamabad police official if he didn’t appear in court. It also summoned the Punjab police chief and the provincial chief secretary. When the officials appeared in the LHC, the government’s lawyer said that the Islamabad police official couldn’t appear in court, adding that the IHC had reserved its verdict on a PTI plea seeking cancellation of Imran’s arrest warrants.
The court then asked the Punjab police chief what was the solution to the present situation to which the latter replied that he was in a meeting with the Election Commission of Pakistan when the Islamabad police arrived in Lahore. “The Islamabad police asked us for assistance and showed the arrest warrants. At first, 14 officers of ours were injured [in the operation] after which 300 more officials were deployed,” IG Anwar said. He stated that 59 more policemen sustained injuries during the clash between PTI supporters and police. “We had decided none of the officials will use any weapons during the operation. “We controlled the situation with the help of water canons and tear gas,” the Punjab police official told the court.
He further said that PTI supporters hurled stones at police vans, threw petrol bombs at officers and state machinery was set on fire. “Rangers was called in after this and only people who attacked the police were arrested.” The chief secretary also said that the public suffered a lot during the entire episode. For his part, PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the court that he was at Zaman Park when the operation had commenced. “PTI is a party that believes in the rule of law.” He stated that he has made several attempts to talk to the head of operations of the Islamabad police but to no avail. “The police promised a ceasefire but then they started shelling inside Imran Khan’s house,” Qureshi told the court.
“In my opinion, the police want a tragedy.” Here, Justice Sheikh remarked: “They [the PTI] have filed a plea in the IHC against the arrest warrants … until a decision comes, we can halt the police operation. “I want peace in Lahore,” he added. Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reserved its verdict on Imran’s petition seeking the cancellation of arrest warrants issued for him in the Toshakhana case. The party had filed the petition after police and PTI workers had come face to face outside Zaman Park a day earlier. The petition was taken up by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.
On Monday, an Islamabad district and sessions court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the PTI chief after his persistent absences in the Toshakhana reference. It had also instructed the police to arrest the former prime minister and present him in court by March 18. Earlier today, Chaudhry and PTI’s legal team also approached the Lahore High Court seeking the cancellation of Imran’s arrest warrants. However, the LHC chief justice sent them back saying that the matter was concerned with Islamabad and should be heard by the IHC. As the IHC hearing commenced, Justice Farooq asked Imran’s counsel, Khawaja Haris Ahmed, if he had addressed all the objections that the court had previously raised on the petition.
The judge stated that the petition would only be taken up for hearing once it had been scheduled to which Haris urged the court to hear the plea today. At that, Justice Farooq highlighted that the court had taken up the plea earlier. “Directions were also issued, but unfortunately, what happened?” he asked. Haris reiterated his request, stating that the court should hear the PTI’s plea, and insisting that he would legally convince the bench on the matter. “Earlier, this court had granted relief. But what happened to our order?” asked the IHC chief justice, adding that the court would examine the possible repercussions of not implementing its orders. Here, Haris said that the “entire situation is visible to you”. However, Justice Farooq replied: “It’s all because of you.
The court had provided a respectable path which was not followed.” The court subsequently directed the PTI lawyer to remove objections from the petition so that the application could be taken up. After the hearing was adjourned, PTI’s Barrister Gohar told the media that the proceedings will resume after the IHC’s division bench hears other cases. “We will utilise this break to address the objections that have been marked on our petition,” he added. When the hearing resumed at 2pm, PTI counsel Haris started presenting his arguments on the petition. He said that his client had challenged the court orders of March 13.
The lawyer explained that Imran had been asked to appear before the court on the said day, but he was at home. “Therefore, we filed an exemption plea.” He contended that the issuance of arrest warrants was out of the question as there was a difference between criminal cases and bail requests. “We also urged the trial court not to issue warrants until the maintainability of the petition was decided.” He also contested the nature of the complaint, arguing that the complainant was not authorised to file such a plea. Haris maintained that the ECP was not entitled to send a criminal case to a trial court. But the IHC chief justice stressed that appearing in court was mandatory regardless of the case for which the summons was issued. Haris presented an affidavit signed by Imran and urged the judge to suspend the arrest warrants issued for his client.
The lawyer expressed regret over the current situation in Lahore and hoped for a swift resolution. Justice Farooq reiterated his commitment to upholding the integrity of the court, emphasising that respect for the judiciary was of paramount importance to him. The judge remarked that whether it was a civil court or a trial court, one must show respect to the court. He also stated that judicial orders were issued with a signature as the courts do not have musclemen to demonstrate power. Justice Farooq also asked Additional Advocate General Munawar Iqbal where the government would keep Imran if he was arrested four days before the scheduled date for his court appearance. The AAG replied that similar affidavits had been issued previously, but the person who submitted them did not appear before the court. Iqbal also questioned Imran’s reason for skipping his court appearance, despite being a national leader. Justice Farooq remarked that politicians of the past and present did not do enough for building the society and stated that “I have to take into consideration the dignity and other aspects of the court.”
