Imran Khan is back home at Zaman Park after Islamabad court hearing

ISLAMABAD – PTI Chairman Imran Khan returned to his home in Zaman Park, Lahore, around midnight after attending a court hearing in the federal capital.

Earlier, a district and sessions court allowed Khan to go back after marking his attendance from his vehicle outside the Islamabad Judicial Complex, without framing charges against him in the Toshakhana case.

While referring to clashes between the PTI workers and security officials outside the judicial complex, Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zafar Iqbal said the proceedings of the court could not be proceed in such circumstances. The judge ordered the authorities to disperse all people gathering outside the court after marking Khan’s attendance.

He added that once the PTI chief’s signatures were taken, the next date for the hearing would be announced later.

During the hearing, PTI chairman’s lawyer Khawaja Harris said his client could not be indicted until a petition challenging the maintainability of the court is decided.

Later, the court cancelled Imran Khan’s non-bailable arrest warrants and adjourned the indictment in the case till March 30.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and law enforcers engaged in violent clashes as latter tried to ensure enforcement of Section 144 during the appearance of former prime minister Imran Khan's appearance in the court. 

Earlier, former prime minister Imran Khan claimed that the Sharif-led government intended to detain him in a bid to stop him from taking part in elections, calling it a part of the ‘London plan’.

The defiant leader, who reached Islamabad district court today for appearance in a case involving the sale of state gifts he received as PM, showed his concern that the government would arrest him as he headed to the capital to appear before the court in the Toshakhana case amid desperate efforts from law enforcers to apprehend him for missing previous hearings.

The clip shared from within the vehicle shows the PTI chairman saying that he reached the court despite being aware of the plan as he "believes in the rule of law."

Khan, 70, said he got late as his convoy met an accident while en route to an Islamabad court and further maintained about gambit of his arrest, alleging that it was part of a larger London plan plotted by former PM Nawaz Sharif.

چیئرمین عمران خان کا خصوصی بیان۔
#چلو_چلو_عمران_کے_ساتھ pic.twitter.com/8c0l0aC5eC

— PTI (@PTIofficial) March 18, 2023

Khan has also filed a petition in Islamabad High Court (IHC) to save him from "illegal and unlawful arrest".

عمران خان کو گرفتاری کا خدشہ ، اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ میں درخواست دائر کر دی
نیب سمیت کسی بھی ادارے کو گرفتاری سے روکا جائے ، عمران خان کی درخواست
عمران خان کی آج ہی درخواست پر سماعت کی استدعا pic.twitter.com/SMVqIuAgCk

— Siddique Jan (@SdqJaan) March 18, 2023

Soon after the PTI chief left to appear before a local court in the federal capital, Punjab police launched an operation at his Zaman Park residence and arrested several party workers.

Clips doing rounds on the internet showed cops smashing the gate of Zaman Park which were dismantled by the excavator. The infantry of anti-encroachment personnel and Punjab police took part in the operation. It was reported that Canal Road, Dharampura, Mall Road underpass and other areas have been closed for all kinds of traffic while containers have been mounted in neighboring areas.

The recent operation started a day after the Punjab government and the PTI reached an agreement to defuse ongoing tension over recent clashes. Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf agreed to cooperate with the administration to implement the arrest warrants and search warrants, and allowed the law enforcers to conduct search operation in the Zaman park in connection with the cases.

Imran Khan quickly responded to the development. In a social media post, the PTI chairman lamented the action, questioning the provocative move, mentioning that his wife Bushra Bibi is alone at home.