FIR to be registered against 'all police officers' involved in Zaman Park raid: Fawad

PTI leader says police defied court order; party summons legal team for consultation

By Zahid Shirwani
March 19, 2023
A heavy police contingent present in Lahore's Zaman Park area to conduct a search and cleanup operation at the residence of PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday, March 18, 2023. — PPI

LAHORE: A day after the police raidedPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's residence in Zaman Park, the party Sunday decided to get cases registered against 'all police officers' involved in the activity.

PTI Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry said all police officers involved in the illegal operation and violence will be booked and the party has summoned a meeting with its legal team in this regard.

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"Today, a meeting of the legal team has been called. The way in which the police defied the Lahore High Court's decision entering Imran Khan's residence has trampled every rule of the home's sanctity. [things were] stolen. [They] also took away juice boxes. Innocent people were subjected to torture," he wrote in a tweet.

A day earlier, after the PTI chief left for the Islamabad Judicial Complex to appear before a court, the Punjab Police resumed an operation at his residence, broke into it and arrested several party workers.

Fawad added that whatever happened in Islamabad, including all the incidents, are a reason for the ongoing constitutional crisis in the country.

"Defying court order is unforgivable. The high court should guard its judgment. Cases are being registered on all police officers who conducted illegal operations and were involved in violence," Fawad wrote on the microblogging site.

Elite Force van under attack by PTI workers

PTI workers, on the other hand, attacked the Punjab Police Elite Force and its van while they returned from the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) final match last night, Geo News reported on Sunday.

The Punjab government has decided to take action against those involved in the attack.

“Action will be taken against miscreants who attacked the Elite Force team and its vehicle,” spokesperson of the provincial government said.

The party’s workers hit the van with sticks and broke its windows. They also damaged the police van’s lights and windscreen, while the Elite Force personnel ran away to save their lives.

The PTI workers also had state-owned weapons in the vehicles under their control and stole two rifles, which is still in their possession, and left it completely destroyed.

A policeman was also tortured while he was returning from his duty.

Following the violence in which the Elite Force and police response unit vans were attacked by the Khan-led party's workers, the Lahore Police officials asked all officers going to or returning from their duty points to change their routes.

They have advised the personnel to not use the Zaman Park route when going towards Mughalpura, Lal Pul, and Dharmapura, while officers in uniform have been warned against passing from the area where Khan's home is located.

Students arrested from Zaman Park released

Meanwhile, the three students arrested from Zaman Park on Saturday have been handed over to their family, the Capital City Police Lahore wrote on its Twitter.

The police stated that it decided not to put the students’ future in danger and won’t be taking any legal action against them.

The students were advised to support their parents who appreciated the police's initiative to secure their children’s future.

The students, who were asked by the police to steer clear of illegal activities, also promised to focus on their education.

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