CountrywidE ProtEsts As workErs ‘foil’ AttEmPt to ArrEst imrAn

g PolIce use tear Gas, water cannon anD stun GrenaDes to breaK uP Protests

laHORE Saleem Jadoon the clashes erupted between police and supporters of former Prime minister Imran Khan ahead of his potential arrest. the police heavily fired tear gas and water cannon as hundreds of members and supporters of Imran Khan’s Pakistan tehreeke-Insaf (PtI) gathered outside his Zaman Park residence to foil the attempt being made to arrest him.

Protestsbroke out in all major cities of country on tuesday against the backdrop of clashes going on intermittently between PtI workers and police personnel around Zaman Park residence of PtI chairman Imran Khan following the police’s attempt to arrest the opposition leader in thoshakhana case.

Intermittent tear gas shelling is ongoing at Zaman Park as police personnel who had reached the security barrier outside the neighbourhood — has been forced towards mall road. PtI workers, meanwhile, have secured the path leading to Imran’s residence as well as canal road.

PtI workers reportedly pelted the police officials with stones as the police resorted to baton-charge on the crowds, turning Zaman Park into a battleground. Police allegedly used water cannons to hold back PtI workers, with some being taken

g asaD omar saYs trYInG Imran In toshaKhana case aKIn to maKInG PaKIstan lauGhInG stocK

protesters”, the party’s woman leader Zartaj Gul told the media while tears rolling down from his eyes due to tear-gas. “It seems the police personnel are Indian forces and trying to suppress the Kashmiris”, he regretted. ‘What they want?’ speaking to reporters outside Imran Khan’s residence, senior PtI leader shah mahmood Qureshi said there was no justification for the police to attack people. “we are ready to talk,” he said.

Qureshi said he wanted to see the warrants himself and will speak to his party chairman once he gets to see them.

Common man failed to access justice system due to corruption: CJP

‘Army will not be available for election duty,’ defence ministry tells ECP

Islamabad Staff report the ministry of Defence on tuesday informed the election commission of Pakistan (ecP) that the Pakistan army will not be available for election duty this year due to the “situation in the country”, noting that the security of the borders and the country was the army’s “first priority”.

into custody.

according to PtI leaders, the police committed worst brutalities against the party workers and sup- porters and did not spare the children and women. “the police fired expired tear-gas shells and chemical-laden water on the peaceful

“what do they [police] want?” he asked. “after hearing their point of view, I will have a meeting with Khan sahib. we may be ready for arrest ourselves.”

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‘Stay steady’ if anything happens to me: Imran

lahore: amid siege of and clashes between PtI workers and police around Zaman Park, Pakistan tehreek-eInsaf chairman Imran Khan aired a passionate recorded message for his supporters on tuesday, urging them to stay put for their rights and “continue the struggle” for ‘haqeeqi azadi’ even if he is arrested or assassinated. the PtI chairman’s video message was released on social media as police arrived at his lahore residence to arrest him. a large number of party workers continued resisting the police personnel who teargassed and baton-charged the crowds to disperse them outside Zaman Park. addressing his supporters and workers in the video, Imran said that the authorities think his arrest would lead to the nation’s “distracting and indifference.” “my fellow Pakistanis, the police are outside waiting to arrest me. they believe that if Imran Khan is put behind the bars, the nation will fall asleep. You must prove them wrong. You must show that this nation is alive and kicking,” he said. Staff report

During the ecP’s third session regarding the elections of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies — chaired by chief election commissioner (cec) sikandar sultan raja — Defence secretary lt General (retd) hamood uz Zaman Khan and additional Defence secretary major General Khurram sarfaraz Khan briefed the commission about the current situation of the country, a press release issued by the ecP said. Pakistan has been witnessing a sharp rise in terror incidents for the last few months, which have taken the lives of several people, and as a result, the security forces have upped the ante against militants across the country. the officials of the defence ministry apprised the participants of the session about the situation on the borders and the deployment of the army in the country, along with the overall law-andorder situation. “the army attaches importance to its primary duties, and the security of the borders and the country is its first priority. Due to the current situation in the country, the Pakistan army is not available for election duty at this time,” the ministry’s officials said. “moreover, the current economic situation of the country has an effect on the army as well. and it will be the decision of the ruling administration whether it restricts the army to the performance of primary duties or assigns secondary duties to it — ie election duty.” they also clarified that if the army is assigned election duty, troops would be deployed in quick response (QrF) mode and static deployment of troops would not be possible. It should be noted that on the orders of the supreme court, the polls for the Punjab assembly elections will be held on april 30. apart from this, the election schedule has also been announced and nomination papers are being submitted. KP Governor haji Ghulam ali has also announced may 28 as the date for elections in the province following a meeting with the ecP and President Dr arif alvi.