Imran demands public hearing of Toshakhana case after 'arrest fiasco'
Pakistan
Imran fires a broadside at Maryam over Panama Papers
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan demanded on Sunday the public hearing of the case against him.
Addressing the party workers, Mr Khan said, “The country was witnessing extreme difficulties.” Reiterating the claim, Mr Khan said the former army chief had saved Prime Minister Shehbaz.
Taking a dig at the political opponents, Mr Khan said, “The people of the country are getting poorer, while the rulers are getting rich.” He also schooled Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.
Lashing out at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz, Mr Khan said the latter was exposed in the Panama Papers.
Reiterating the case of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill, Mr Khan bashed the political opponents.
Bashing the political opponents over the ECL, Mr Khan said, "I will not be afraid if my name is placed on the ECL."
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Pakistan becomes 'a banana republic', Imran Khan reacts to his arrest warrants
PTI Chairman and former prime minister said Pakistan had “become a banana republic”.
“What future can a country have when crooks are thrust as rulers upon it? SS [Shehbaz Sharif] was about to be convicted by NAB (National Accountability Bureau) for Rs8 bn money laundering and by FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) for another Rs16 bn corruption when he was rescued by Gen Bajwa who kept getting NAB cases trial postponed,” he said in a tweet in connection with the issuance of arrest warrants and presence of Islamabad police at Zaman Park.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 5, 2023
The PTI chief went on to say that while Shehbaz was under trial, he was made the prime minister.
“He has since proceeded to select heads of those institutions investigating his cases — first FIA and now NAB — simply to get his name permanently cleared in Rs16 bn corruption and Rs8 bn money laundering cases against him.
The Islamabad police team remained clueless about the whereabouts of PTI Chairman Imran despite raids at Zaman Park on Sunday.
A good number of PTI activists remained gathered at Imran Khan's Zaman Park after an Islamabad police team reached the provincial capital to 'arrest' PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan, Dunya News reported.
The 'charged' protesters warned of dire consequences in case their leader was arrested by the police.
Islamabad SP City Hussain Tahir, who was leading the police team, reached Zaman Park residence of Imran Khan while carrying non-bailable arrest warrants issued by Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal in Toshakhana case.
The Lahore police was also approached for the arrest of the PTI chief who failed to appear before the court despite repeated summons by the court.
Police claimed all legal requirements had been fulfilled to arrest the PTI chief. An Islamabad sessions court had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the former prime minister last month over persistent absences.
Reacting to the reports of the arrest, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry warned of a worsening situation in the country if the government moves against the former prime minister.
"Any attempt to arrest Imran Khan will seriously worsen the situation, I want to warn this incompetent and anti-Pakistan government not to push Pakistan into further crisis and act sensibly," said Fawad.
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 5, 2023
The former minister also called on the party workers to reach Zaman Park.
-- Imran not present at Zaman Park --
Imran Khan's Chief of Staff Senator Shibli Faraz received the warrant of the PTI chief's arrest from the Islamabad police team who was aided by the Lahore police around 12:58pm.
Faraz informed the police that the former prime minister was not at Zaman Park but would comply with the law.
-- Police return empty-handed --
The police team 'temporarily' left Khan's residence without arrest after informing the high ups about absence of the PTI chief.
-- Maryam asks Nawaz to lend some of his courage to Imran --
PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz on Sunday asked her father and party supremo Nawaz Sharif to lend some of his courage to Imran Khan.
In a statement on Twitter, Maryam while mocking the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan stated that despite being innocent Nawaz Sharif would fly back to Pakistan from London, holding on to his daughter’s support, and would cooperate for his arrest, unlike a thief who would use the sons of others as a shield.
Addressing her father, Maryam said that Nawaz Sharif should lend some of his courage to Imran Khan.
-- PTI leaders reach Zaman Park --
PTI leaders Fawad Ch, Yasmin Rashid, Ijaz Ch, Hammad Azhar, Azam Swati and Omer Ayub Khan reached Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence.
The PTI leaders also spoke to media and urged the party workers to reach Zaman Park to prevent Imran Khan's arrest.
-- Fawad warns country-wide protests if ‘red line’ crossed --
PTI leader Fawad Ch told reporters outside Imran Khan's residence said that the Islamabad Police had arrived at the ex-premier’s residence to execute his arrest in the Toshakhana case.
“There are 74 cases against Imran. It is humanly not possible for any person to appear in court in all these cases,” he said, claiming that Imran’s arrest was aimed at postponing the upcoming general elections in Punjab.
Fawad called on party workers across the country to prepare for nationwide protest. “If they cross the red line, there will be a protest that Pakistan has never seen before,” the PTI leader added.
-- Sanaullah rules out arrest on govt orders --
Talking to media in Faisalabad, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said Imran Khan was being arrested on the court’s orders and not the government’s order.
“The police have only come to uphold the court’s order. If they had to arrest Imran at all costs, PTI burgers wouldn’t be an obstacle,” he claimed, adding that if the government had decided to arrest the PTI chief, “it would not have been a difficult feat”.
Sanaullah said Imran should be arrested as per court’s orders, punished and then disqualified.
-- Toshakhana Reference --
Imran Khan was set to be indicted in the Toshakhana Reference on Feb 28, but his lawyer had requested ADSJ Iqbal that he be exempted from the hearing because he had to appear in several other courts. His indictment was deferred twice before.
The judge had then issued arrest warrants for Imran and adjourned the hearing till March 7.
The reference, which alleges that Imran had not shared details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana (during his time as the prime minister) and proceeds from their reported sales, was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year.
On October 21, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had concluded that the former premier had indeed made “false statements and incorrect declarations” regarding the gifts.
