Pakistan: Punjab Police returns "empty-handed" from Imran Khan's residence, says his chief security officer

May 19, 2023

Lahore [Pakistan], May 19 : The Punjab Police on Friday returned "empty-handed" from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence, reported Dawn.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan's chief security officer Iftikhar Ghuman has said that the Punjab police have returned from Zaman Park "empty-handed".
Talking to journalists outside the former prime minister's residence, Ghuman said, "I think they have understood that there is nothing here. The only thing they got here was water and biscuits. We opened the doors of the house for them in front of you. Now you ask them what they got."
The four-member delegation of Punjab police has departed from Imran Khan's residence after concluding talks with him and his legal team over the search operation, reported ARY News.
According to details, the four-member delegation included Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Lahore Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider, DIG Operations Sadiq Dogar and SSP Operations Sohaib.
The delegation held negotiations with Imran Khan and his legal team to mull over the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for a search operation at Zaman Park. However, there are no details about the talks so far, reported ARY News.
Meanwhile, it was reported that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will soon issue a detailed statement regarding the negotiations held with the government team.
The government team visited Imran Khan's residence to mull over the SOPs for a search operation as the authorities claim there are "30-40 terrorists" present inside Zaman Park.
The delegation came to Zaman Park after the authorities received search warrants from an anti-terrorism court to raid the former prime minister's residence.
The team led by Commissioner Lahore also visited the camp present in Zaman Park. They also met Imran Khan and tabled the search warrant obtained earlier today.
Sources told ARY News that the government team arrived in Zaman Park for the implementation of the search warrant. The team also ruled out the possibility of 'any operation' in Zaman Park, sources claimed.
Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Saddique Kamyana claimed to have arrested six more "terrorists" attempting to flee from Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence, reported Geo News.
According to CCPO Kamyana four of the alleged "terrorists" were involved in the attack on Askari Tower while two were among those who ransacked the Corps Commander House Lahore.
On May 17, Punjab caretaker information minister Amir Mir claimed that 30 to 40 terrorists, who had attacked Army installations including Jinnah House, were present in Zaman Park.
The Punjab minister said that the agencies were able to confirm the presence of the "terrorists" in Zaman Park through geo-fencing.
Violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan were arrested from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC) last week.
Army installations and Corps Commander's house in Lahore came under attack during a protest by PTI workers.