Invading Imran Khan's home, Pakistani police detain many PTI workers

Hours after Imran Khan left for Islamabad to appear before a court hearing a corruption case against him, over 10,000 armed Punjab police officers launched a major operation at the former Pakistani prime minister's residence here, arrested dozens of members of his party, and claimed to have found weapons and petrol bombs.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party supporters had built camps and barricades around Khan's Zaman Park mansion in order to block his arrest in the Toshakhana case, but the police carried out a "major operation" there and dismantled everything.

The 70-year-old PTI leader has come under fire for amassing presents, including a pricey Graff wristwatch he had acquired as the premier at a reduced price from the state storehouse known as Toshakhana, and then profitably selling them.

61 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party members were detained during the operation, while roughly 10 PTI members as well as three policemen were hurt.

Khan's apartment became a battleground between his party members and police and Rangers for two days earlier this week over his "arrest operation" in the case.

The Lahore High Court ordered the operation to stop earlier last week, but the PTI staff members were able to thwart the arrest attempt.

After the operation, Punjab's Inspector General of Police Dr. Usman Anwar informed a news conference that the police had previously paused the operation at Zaman Park due to an LHC order and a PSL match.

"The court, however, did not prevent us from initiating legal action against those responsible for the assault on the police. Around lunchtime today, we began an operation. Notwithstanding the PTI employees' resistance, we were able to maintain control of the scene and arrest 61 people "added he.

Twenty firearms, including Kalashnikovs, as well as petrol bomb bottles, according to the IGP, had been found in Khan's home.

He said that a complaint will be filed against Khan for the construction of bunkers in the Zaman Park region.

He said that once police obtained search warrants, they broke into Khan's home.

Police are accused of torturing PTI officials and Khan's home staff during the raid.

After entering Khan's home, cops are seen thrashing PTI employees on videos.

The police entered Khan's home via the front gate and knocked down the front walls, claiming that bullets were fired at them from within. They then searched the whole property.

"Cops vandalised Mr. Khan's Zaman Park home, physically torturing the domestic workers there in flagrant defiance of the Lahore High Court's orders. Police have removed Chef Safeer from the scene after he assaulted the driver Shaukat and the sweeper Ishaq. The brutal police also took their personal stuff, including cash and cell phones "Shireen Mazari, a top PTI politician, stated.

Amir Mir, the communications minister for the Punjab caretaker administration, said that the police operation was started to clean up the Zaman Park area.

"Zaman Park was now off limits. 10,000 Punjab police officers participated in the operation to clear it. Also, there were rumours of members of groups that were outlawed hissing there." In a series of tweets, the former cricketer turned politician criticised the police operation and stated: "It is clearly obvious that the PDM government plans to arrest me despite the fact that I have always been granted bail. I am travelling to Islamabad to the court despite being aware of their malicious intents because I believe in the rule of justice. But everyone should be aware of the criminal goal of this conspiracy of thieves."

"When Bushra Begum is alone, Punjab police have launched an attack on my home in Zaman Park. What legal provisions are they violating? This is a component of the London Plan, where pledges were made to install Nawaz Sharif as prime minister in exchange for consenting to one appointment." Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said during an interview with Geo News that shots were fired at the cops from inside the home. He continued by claiming that a "no-go area" had been established outside the home of the 70-year-old PTI head.

Sanaullah said that walls had been built with the intention of harming the cops.

He said that a stockpile of explosives, petrol bombs, and bomb-making supplies had been seized from the scene and that all "terrorists" present inside the Zaman Park residence had been captured.

Sanaullah said that Khan had previously been released on bail before being taken into custody when asked whether the government had any plans to arrest him. He stressed that the prosecution required him to show up in court.

The minister insisted that the officers were unarmed and made it clear that they had not gone into the space where Bushra Bibi, Khan's wife, was present.

"Section 144 is applied, you are cordially urged to disperse," officers stated in an announcement before barging into Khan's apartment.

Video images showed cops entering Khan's eight-canal home after demolishing the main iron gate with an excavator.

Khan also stated that the siege of Lahore was intended to confine him and prevent him from heading the PTI's election campaign rather than to ensure his attendance in court.

The Toshakhana was established in 1974 and is a division under the administrative jurisdiction of the Cabinet Division that houses priceless presents that foreign dignitaries and leaders of other countries and nations have presented to monarchs, lawmakers, bureaucrats, and officials.

Since Khan did not disclose the specifics of the purchases, the Pakistani Election Commission disqualified him in October of last year.

In order to penalise him for selling the gifts he had acquired as the nation's prime minister under criminal law, the electoral board subsequently filed a lawsuit with the district court.

Khan, who has categorically refuted the allegations, is about to face an indictment in the matter.

The Court Complex in G-11 is under heavy surveillance, and Islamabad police have issued a traffic advisory warning that this might make it difficult for people to pass through traffic and cause annoyance.

On Friday night, the government of Islamabad implemented Section 144, which forbids private businesses, security personnel, or people from carrying guns in the capital. While driving, drivers must have their registration paperwork with them.

Since the PTI voiced security concerns, the government moved the extra sessions court's hearing location to a more secure Judiciary Complex on Friday, according to Dawn.