LAHORE: Six additional alleged terrorists were apprehended while attempting to escape from Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence, bringing the total arrests to 14, claimed Lahore Capital City Police Officer Bilal Saddique Kamyana. 

Four of the alleged terrorists were implicated in the Askari Tower attack, while two were involved in the ransacking of the Corps Commander House in Lahore. The arrests followed the capture of eight terrorists in the same location the previous day, as reported by Punjab Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir.

A negotiation team led by Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa is scheduled to visit Zaman Park for talks with PTI representatives. The team, dispatched at the instruction of Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, is expected to discuss the ongoing search operation at Zaman Park. If mutually agreed upon, approximately 400 police personnel will participate in the search. The police have closed off the road between Mall Road and Dharmapura, as well as cordoned off all routes leading to Zaman Park.

During a meeting, the caretaker chief minister emphasized the need to vigorously pursue the cases against the miscreants and promptly apprehend the fugitive criminals involved in the violent protests following Imran Khan’s arrest. The meeting also approved cash rewards for those who identify individuals responsible for terrorist incidents. 

Concerns were raised regarding the alleged illegal facilitation of the attackers who targeted the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) office in Faisalabad. The meeting decided to send a reference against a judge for providing extraordinary facilities to terrorists and challenge the illegal and unconstitutional facilitation of those involved in the violence.

The developments followed Punjab Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir’s announcement that a search operation would be conducted at Imran Khan’s Lahore residence, with his permission and in front of cameras, to apprehend terrorists. 

Mir stated that instead of a direct confrontation, a delegation supervised by the Lahore commissioner would be sent to Khan, requesting permission for the search operation. Khan had expressed his willingness for the search to take place but requested valid search warrants. The interim government aimed for a positive resolution but indicated they would devise an alternative strategy if permission was not granted.