The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday ordered the law enforcers to immediately stop the operation at Zaman park initiated a day earlier to arrest PTI chief Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case.
LHC Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh ordered that the operation should be stopped till the decision of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) where a petition seeking cancellation of arrest warrants issued against Mr Khan has been filed.
Earlier in the day, the LHC summoned top officers of the Punjab and Islamabad police in a petition filed by the PTI against an action at Zaman Park for the arrest of the party chief.
The petition was moved after clashes erupted when police tried to arrest the former prime minister for not showing up in a case against him related to selling state gifts. A district and sessions court in the federal capital last week issued his arrest warrants.
Security forces had fired tear gas and water cannons at hundreds of Khan’s supporters who had cordoned off his home in an effort to prevent his arrest. In a latest development, the forces withdrew from Khan’s home for the time being ahead of the match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Lahore.
Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh heard the petition filed by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry against the police action. The judge ordered the Punjab IGP and the DIG Operations of Islamabad police to appear before the court immediately and adjourned the hearing for later today.
The judge warned that he would issue arrest warrants if Islamabad police operation chief failed to show up in the court. At which, the federal government’s lawyer said that capital policy did not come under the LHC jurisdiction.
During the hearing, Advocate General Punjab Shan Gill was also present.
