Hundreds of PTI workers and supporters gathered at PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence in a bid to thwart his expected arrest due to the cancellation of his protective bail in a case pertaining to protests outside the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
According to the details, PTI leader Murad Saeed said that the government decided to arrest Imran Khan. He asked PTI Lahore workers to immediately reach Khan’s residence. He said that every PTI worker should come out of his home even if a single PTI leader is arrested by the government.
Hundreds of PTI workers and supporters including women and children started gathering at Zaman Park to thwart any attempt by the police to arrest their party chairman. Meanwhile, a heavy contingent of police had also reached Zaman Park, however, large crowds of PTI workers blocked routes to Zaman Park.
Read more: Ready to go to jail: Imran Khan challenges govt to arrest him
Needless to say, Zaman Park was alive with activity as PTI workers and supporters camped outside Imran Khan’s residence as they were continuously chanting slogans against the government and police.
Videos of incredible scenes from Zaman Park are going viral on social media. PTI workers express their readiness to resist any attempt by the government to arrest Imran Khan. Women sitting outside the house of Imran Khan were even seen holding clubs and sticks for their safety.
On Thursday, word spread that Pakistani police planned to arrest former PM & PTI chief Imran Khan for not appearing before the Lahore High Court. Take a look as hundreds of workers gather in Zaman Park, Lahore, to protest & block entry to Khan's residence:pic.twitter.com/johU3Herpw
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) February 16, 2023
جو قوم "لا الہ الااللہ" کا مطلب سمجھ جاتی ہے اسے نہ کوئی جھکا سکتا نہ ہی ڈرا سکتا۔
زمان پارک میں مسلسل 24 روز سے ہمت و جرات کی مثال بنے کارکنان!
#عمران_خان_ہماری_ریڈ_لائن pic.twitter.com/vzidmHOaWi
— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 17, 2023
No fear #Zaman_Park 4:32am #زمان_پارک_پہنچو
#عمران_خان_ہماری_ریڈ_لائن pic.twitter.com/0HOjgRw9r6— Farid Malik (@StaunchInsafi) February 16, 2023
PTI’s social media focal person said the workers residing at Zaman Park were working in shifts to stay outside the house of Imran Khan at Zaman Park and they would come in shifts from different areas of the country.
While the scenes from Zaman Park are energetic, there are also fears that the situation could escalate, leading to complete chaos, possibly worse than the PTI’s Azadi March in May 2022, perhaps a similar situation like the Model Town incident.
Read more: Promotion of officer accused in Model Town case raises questions
At Zaman Park right now. No confrontation of any sort please. This could be apocalyptic in nature and could spark nation wide protest. The country is on the verge of default, there's constitutional crisis. pic.twitter.com/fxjjzMDZep
— Pak Lawyers Forum (@PLF_Officials) February 16, 2023
Two days ago, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) had rejected Imran Khan’s request for an extension to his interim bail for non-appearance in a protest case outside the ECP after his disqualification in the Toshakhana case. On Thursday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed Khan’s petition for protective bail which led to fears among PTI that the former Prime Minister could be arrested.