Lahore: PTI supporters cheer and celebrate “chasing the rangers” outside Zaman Park after law enforcement agencies left the residence of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Lahore on Wednesday. Earlier in the morning, the police and Rangers continued the efforts that began on Tuesday to arrest the PTI chief in the Toshakhana case, Dawn reported. However, he faced stiff opposition from PTI workers. The law enforcement personnel retreated after party supporters pelted stones at them. According to Dawn news, after this celebration started outside Zaman Park.
The party said in a tweet that more workers were arriving at Zaman Park and vowed not to let the “nefarious designs” of the coalition government succeed.
The people pushed back the police and rangers who attacked to harm Imran Khan. More people are coming to Zaman Park and God willing they will never let this imported government’s nefarious designs succeed
#jaman_park_pohancho pic.twitter.com/7OrO9y2M4c– PTI (@PTIofficial) March 15, 2023
Separately, a video posted on PTI’s official Twitter showed Khan, wearing a gas mask, addressing party supporters outside his residence.
Imran Khan present among Zaman Park workers despite heavy shelling#jaman_park_pohancho pic.twitter.com/hNRWTdKUTi– PTI (@PTIofficial) March 15, 2023
PTI on Wednesday alleged that the party chief’s residence was “extremely attacked” after it posted footage of armed law enforcement personnel firing, Dawn reported.
Residence of Chairman PTI @ImranKhanPTI under attack #jaman_park_pohancho pic.twitter.com/6nO0Q1tjtC– PTI (@PTIofficial) March 15, 2023
In a tweet, the party shared a video alleging “open firing by rangers and police”, without specifying when the video was filmed.
Rangers in Zaman Park fire directly at unarmed civilians as if they were attacking enemy forces on the battlefield. pic.twitter.com/dK8mlLHA4Y— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 15, 2023
Television footage showed police firing, lathi-charging and firing tear gas at the protesters.
Earlier, in an address to the nation via video link, Khan said the “hope is on the courts and the establishment” to end this “farce”.
“It will (soon) go out of our hands…the kind of action that is taking place…the boys (activists) outside are not listening to me. When this chaos and shelling is happening against them, they have won.” ‘Don’t listen to me now. I have no control over them anymore,’ he said.