The interim Punjab government’s 24-hour deadline for the PTI leadership to hand over “terrorists being holed in party chief’s Lahore residence” is getting closer as Imran Khan fears getting re-arrested again.
“So far, there are no plans of arresting PTI Chairman Imran Khan,” Punjab’s caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir told Geo News on Wednesday night. “First, let the 24-hour deadline expire then the government will reveal its plans.”
Mir was asked whether the government might be waiting for a decision from the military in view of the attacks on the military installations. He negated such impressions, saying that police would be arresting the suspects.
In a press conference on Wednesday approximately at 1:30pm, he claimed that at least 30 to 40 people who planned the attacks and those who attacked Jinnah House were taking refuge in Zaman Park.
The government and the military have endorsed the military trial of the May 9 rioters. State and sensitive buildings were attacked in violent protests when Khan was arrested last week. He got bail from the Islamabad court after the top court ruled his arrest illegal.
Khan, who was ousted through a trust vote in April 2022, has condemned the vandalism and disowned the people who committed such acts. Though the former prime minister has supported the trial of the mob, he has urged the chief justice of Pakistan to conduct an inquiry into it.
The ruling alliance has blamed the PTI chief for the May 9 protests, alleging that it was pre-planned.
The caretaker information minister claimed that the suspects were identified through safe city cameras footage, videos, and witnesses. “After finalising cases against suspects, they will be again filtered so that any innocent is not declared guilty,” Mir said.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told Aaj News on Wednesday that Khan could be re-arrested after the expiry of his bail, which expired on May 17.
“Khan shouldn’t be afraid of jail because nothing really happens there,” Sanaullah said, “Khan had personally arranged the mobs that attacked state and military buildings on May 9, and the whole thing was done Imran’s instructions.”
In a tweet after midnight, Khan claimed that arrest of his party leaders was being made to stop his party from forming the next government.
“Just when we believe our country has hit rock bottom in both our economic crisis and violation of our fundamental rights, we hit another low. And all this is being done to stop PTI forming the next government,” Khan wrote.
The PTI chief since his ouster has been demanding snap polls, alleging that the incumbent government was formed through a conspiracy.
Over half a dozen central leaders of PTI have so far been arrested under the Maintenance of Public Ordinance Order.
“Our democracy, our judiciary, our constitution and the rule of law has been made a complete mockery by the current fascist set up. Like our other leaders, Shireen Mazari after getting bail was rearrested and taken to another jail. 7500 of our workers have been arrested with most of them not produced before the courts as demanded by our law. As we speak houses are being broken in, smashed and men and women are being picked up,” Khan said.
