Toshakhana case: How Imran Khan continues to dodge arrests with the help of his ‘violent’ supporters

Amid the most crippling of economic crisis and the country seeking to receive a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan has also been grappling with a political crisis. The situation reached a critical stage on Tuesday evening when authorities tried to arrest former Prime Minister Imran Khan, leading his supporters to clash with the police. Protests turned violent when his followers converged on Zaman Park in Lahore and prevented authorities from arresting the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief from his residence in the Toshakana case . Incidentally, the almost 15-hour-long attempt to arrest Khan came less than 10 days after the police had first tried to arrest the former Pakistan prime minister. That endeavour had also ended after Khan’s followers had converged at his residence to protect him. Khan’s troubles stem from the Toshakhana case where he is accused of buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository and selling them for profit. Zaman Park under siege Imran Khan’s Lahore residence in Zaman Park was the scene of pitched battles on Tuesday after the arrival of Islamabad police. Dawn reported that armoured vehicles were stationed outside the house, where his supporters had also gathered. A senior officer of Islamabad police also confirmed that his team has come here to arrest Khan in the Toshakhana case. However, Khan’s supporters huddled around his residence, preventing the authorities to make the arrest, leading to clashes between the two. Reuters quoted government spokesman Amir Mir as saying that PTI workers started the violence. [caption id=“attachment_12293922” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Supporters of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan chant slogans as they protest, ahead of Khan’s possible arrest in Lahore, in Karachi. Reuters[/caption] What followed next was nothing short of a war scene — with the police hitting Khan supporters with baton charges and lobbing tear gas canisters, some of which landed on the lawns of Khan’s house, according to video images released by his party.

Live TV footage showed Khan’s followers also using sling-shots and attacking the police with bricks and sticks. **Also read: Pakistan's Imran Khan in trouble, directly named in 37 cases across country** A GeoTV report stated that more than 20 policemen, including DIG Operations Islamabad Shahzad Bukhari sustained injuries. Meanwhile, the law enforcers have also arrested the PTI workers. A report by Al Jazeera added that the authorities also blocked mobile signals in the area around Khan’s house. The impending arrest also led to PTI workers and supporters carrying out protests elsewhere — cities such as Karachi, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Vehari, Peshawar, Quetta, and Mianwali also saw demonstrations, resulting in injuries to people on both sides. [caption id=“attachment_12293942” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Supporters of Imran Khan, set a fire to block the road during clashes with police ahead of Khan’s possible arrest outside his home, in Lahore. Reuters[/caption] In Islamabad, at least four policemen were injured and over two dozen supporters of the former ruling were detained after protests erupted, Dawn reported. PTI workers also took to the streets in Sahiwal, Okara, Sargodha, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad. Agitations were also carried out across Sindh, particularly Karachi, blocking traffic and causing logjams. Though the protests remained largely peaceful, sporadic incidents of violence were reported where the police used teargas and baton-charge to arrest the PTI workers. ‘Prove them wrong’ The clashes outside Khan’s residence in Zaman Park began after Imran Khan, who continued his cat and mouse game with authorities, sent out a video message. He advised his supporters to continue the struggle for “real freedom” regardless of his “arrest or death”. “Police have come to catch me and take me to jail. They think that when Imran Khan goes to jail, people will go to sleep. You have to prove them wrong,” he said in the brief video.

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Later, in an interview with BBC Urdu released after midnight, Khan referred to the attempts to arrest him — for which he was ready — saying that it seemed the alleged promises made to Nawaz Sharif by the establishment were being kept. In another interview to CNN, the cricketer-turned-politician said he was “mentally prepared to spend the night in a cell.” **Also read: Pakistan faces political uncertainty** “I want a proper warrant of arrest and I want to see that, my lawyers want to see the warrant,” he told CNN. He also said that he believed his arrest was both inevitable and politically motivated, referencing upcoming by-elections in April and the general election in October. “It’s a matter of time. I’m convinced they will come in and arrest me, I’m prepared for it,” he said, adding: “I know what the intention is. They want to get me out of the race. They want to get me out of the match so that they can win the elections.” [caption id=“attachment_12293952” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The Pakistan Police used water canons to disperse the protesters outside Imran Khan’s residence in Lahore. However, Khan’s supporters didn’t budge. Reuters[/caption] Opposition speaks up On claims that the Opposition wanted him out of the political race, government minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the move had nothing to do with elections and police were only complying with court orders to arrest him in corruption cases. Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) senior vice-president Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Nawaz Sharif, slammed Khan for hiding inside his house” to avoid arrest. Also, in response to Khan’s tweet, she said: “The whole nation should stand with ‘courage and persistence’, but I am hiding under the bed with all ‘courage and persistence’. I am going to stand firm from under the bed!” Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Interior and Legal Affairs Attaullah Tarar called the PTI chief to stop hiding at his house, man up, and get himself arrested. “Imran Khan has made his workers his shields and refuses to come out of his bunker," Tarar said according to a GeoTV report. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.