In response to an upsurge in politically motivated hostilities that turned a posh neighborhood of the provincial capital into a war zone, caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday that he had given the police “free hand” to establish the writ of the state in the province.
Last week, police attempted to arrest PTI chairman Imran Khan at his home in Lahore. Later, PTI supporters and police clashed in Islamabad as Khan arrived to appear in court on Saturday.
At a press conference, CM Naqvi revealed that he had previously asked the law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint but would no longer do so.
The incidents that occurred over the previous five to seven days will also be the subject of a JIT, according to Naqvi. The interim CM declared that it was crucial to establish the state’s and the government’s writs at this time. He continued by saying that Khan’s home’s gate had twice been approached by law enforcement officials, but he had called them back. The caretaker CM claimed that he asked them to come back because he did not want “anything to happen” that could harm the environment or result in a fatality.
Naqvi also shared that when the police cleared Canal Road, a cop returning from duty was attacked and an Elite Force car was attacked the same night.
“We told the policemen this morning that you can do what you want to do establish the writ of the government. If anyone challenges the police, they will break their hand,” said the CM.
He added that it was not possible that the cops could continue getting a beating just because he had asked them to hold themselves back.
“We have to establish the writ of the government at all costs. I am standing by the police force. If anyone takes law into their hands now they will be given a response they will never forget,” said CM Naqvi.
He added that the kind of “terrorism” the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was perpetrating was not what political parties did.
“They are terrorists. A joint investigation team will be formed and a notification will be issued by evening,” said the caretaker CM. He also added that the interim provincial government was writing a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for sharing details about the incidents in the province.
He said the PTI Chairman Imran Khan was openly threatening policemen with dire consequences.
“Police cannot provide him security while he is cursing them. They can hold a public rally wherever they want but the law enforcers who they have been vilifying will not protect them anymore,” said the interim CM.
Imran Khan, a former cricket star, was prime minister from 2018 until 2022 when he was ousted from office in a parliamentary vote. Since then he has been demanding a snap election and holding protest rallies across the country to press his case.
His successor as prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has rejected his demand and said an election would be held as scheduled later this year.
Khan, 70, is facing several legal cases, including one that prompted a failed attempt to arrest him on Tuesday after a court issued warrants for his arrest for not appearing before it.
Clashes between Khan’s supporters and the security forces have brought a new round of political chaos to Pakistan, which is in the midst of a crippling economic crisis.
