Thousands of supporters throng Imran Khan’s residence to prevent arrest

Thousands of supporters of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) reached the Lahore residence of the beleaguered former prime minister after news spread that a heavy posse of police arrived to arrest him.

The police arrived in large numbers after the Lahore High Court on Thursday rejected Imran Khan’s petition seeking protection bail in a case registered against him over protests outside the Election Commission office. The court also directed that the PTI chairman should be present in the court on February 19 at 2pm.

PTI has officially given an urgent call for protest to overseas Pakistanis at Avenfield House – the London residence of Nawaz Sharif’s family in a bid to mount pressure on the ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Khan’s supporters have decided to resist his arrest come what may. Many women arrived outside his residence with sticks and clubs. His supporters also plan to initiate the “Jail Bharo” campaign that Khan had threatened to launch a fortnight back.

A popular leader with the masses, Khan is deeply involved in a war of words with former army chief General Qamar Bajwa – who was heading the army at the same time that Khan was heading the government. Now, Khan has alleged that Bajwa was meddling in politics and was instrumental in his fall from the coveted position. He wants the Pakistani army to begin an inquiry into Bajwa’s interference in politics.

The Shehbaz Sharif government is in no mood to let Khan get away with his wild allegations. The top leaders have already said that they will not withdraw from arresting Khan. Many of Khan’s powerful aides have already been arrested.

At a time when Pakistan is reeling from nationalistic conflict in Balochistan, terror attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab from the Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) as well as a precarious economic situation, not to forget that the country has not been able to rise up from the effect of the debilitating floods of 2022, Pakistani politicians are busy mudslinging each other along with its powerful army.

Also read: Is the twin assault by Baloch rebels and TTP wearing down Pak military?