Pakistan Police Arrive At Imran Khan's Lahore Residence For A Search Operation

LAHORE: Pakistan’s Punjab Police on Friday arrived at the Zaman Park residence of former Pak prime minister Imran Khan here to conduct a search operation in order to find “terrorists” reportedly hiding there, media reports said.

A delegation comprising Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Lahore Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider, DIG Operations Sadiq Dogar and SSP Operations Sohaib, arrived at Khan’s residence, said reports.

The delegation is expected to meet Imran Khan and hold negotiations with him, the report said.

Punjab Police obtained warrants for a detailed search at Khan's residence hours earlier.

Hundreds of policemen will conduct the search operation, Punjab information minister Amir Mir said.

A statement said that with the primary objective of finding “terrorists” hiding at the place, the search will include a detailed checking of both the entrance and exit points of the residence.

The Punjab government on Wednesday claimed that "30 to 40 terrorists were hiding inside Khan's residence," and an ultimatum of 24 hours was given to his party to hand over the miscreants.

After the deadline expired on Thursday, however, no action was taken.

According to Mir, enforcers of the law will conduct a search operation at Khan's residence with his permission and in front of cameras to apprehend the said terrorists.

Mir was quoted as saying, "We, in the interim government, have decided that instead of a head-on collision, we will send a delegation to Khan sahab under the supervision of the Lahore commissioner.”

"They will ask him (Khan) to allow them to conduct a search operation. A police party, comprising 400 personnel, will accompany the delegation as there is a reported presence of terrorists," he said.

Meanwhile, six more “terrorists” attempting to flee from Khan’s Zaman Park residence were claimed by Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Saddique Kamyana to have been arrested.

Incidentally, an anti-terrorism court here on Friday approved Khan’s pre-arrest bail till June 2, in three terrorism cases filed against the Pakistan's former prime minister, following the violence that erupted after his arrest on May 9.

Khan, 70, said in a video-link address from his Zaman Park residence here on Wednesday that Pakistan is heading towards an imminent disaster and is likely to face disintegration.

Khan’s arrest by the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers at the Islamabad High Court premises on May 9 led to a huge unrest in Pakistan, with police putting the death toll in violent clashes at 10, while Khan's party claimed 40 of its workers were killed in the firing by security personnel.

In the first time in Pakistan's history, protesters forced their way into the army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and also burned down a corps commander's house in Lahore.

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