Clash Outside Imran Khan’s Residence as Supporters Resist His Arrest, Police Fire Teargas, Heavy Shelling


Last Updated: March 15, 2023, 08:58 IST

Riot police use water cannon to push back supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan gathered outside Khan’s house to prevent officers from arresting him, in Lahore on March 14, 2023. (AFP)

Imran Khan in a video message asked his supporters to ‘come out’ to fight for real freedom and continue the struggle even if he is killed or arrested

Supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan clashed with the police outside his residence in Lahore on Tuesday after which the cops started firing tear gas shells.

Several policemen and workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were wounded in the clash to foil the PTI chief’s arrest on corruption charges and sparking protests in several cities across the country.

Khan in a video message asked his supporters to “come out” to fight for real freedom and continue the struggle even if he is killed or arrested.

Khan’s video message was released by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: on social media as police arrived at his Zaman Park residence to arrest him in the Toshakhana case.

Despite an over eight-hour-long police operation outside the Zaman Park Lahore residence of Imran Khan the police could not arrest him due to strong resistance from PTI workers.

Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse Khan’s supporters, who reportedly hurled stones at policemen, resulting in injuries.

Video circulating on social media — much distributed by official PTI accounts — showed several bloodied supporters and others struggling to cope with tear gas.

The supporters had gathered outside his Lahore residence after a police team arrived from Islamabad to arrest him on a court order.

A report in news agency PTI said protesters blocked several roads in different cities of Punjab.

In Lahore, PTI workers blocked several roads to protest the police action and workers also staged a sit-in there and demanded the end of police action against Khan.

TV footage showed police slowly approaching the Zaman Park residence of Khan behind an armoured vehicle that was dispersing his supporters with a water cannon.

It is the second time this month that police have been sent to Khan’s home in Lahore to serve an arrest warrant after he skipped several court dates linked to a corruption case citing security concerns.

Read all the Latest News here





Source link