Pakistan former PM Imran Khan dodges arrest as police arrive at his Lahore residence over Toshakhana case

Imran Khan is accused of concealing, in his assets declarations, details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana — a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | Updated: March 5, 2023 07:19 PM IST

2 min read

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan. (File)

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The Islamabad Police arrived at Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan’s Lahore residence Sunday in connection with the Toshakhana case amid massive protests by his supporters, Dawn reported. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief addressed party workers outside his house.

Addressing PTI loyalists, 70-year-old Khan said he had never “bowed before any man or institution, and will never let you do so as well”. He said he called the public to Zaman Park (His residence) to pay tribute to them for the way they participated in the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ (court arrest movement). “I did not call you for my support but to thank you,”, Dawn quoted him as saying.

Khan also attacked government leaders and alleged that they had stashed their wealth overseas and were given protection in legal cases by former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa. He also said that “all those in power today” were behind the Wazirabad assassination attempt on him, and named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and an intelligence official in particular.

This comes days after an Islamabad sessions court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Khan for his persistent absences in the Toshakhana case. According to Dawn, he was required to appear in four different court cases, including the Toshakhana, prohibited funding case, terrorism, and attempt to murder cases against him in Islamabad. Meanwhile, Imran, who is also facing three other cases in different courts, was granted bail in all of them on the same day.

In a tweet, Islamabad police said, “A team of Islamabad police has arrived in Lahore to arrest Imran Khan to comply with the court orders”. The police said that Khan was “avoiding” the arrest, adding that the superintendent of police had “gone into Imran’s room but he was not present there”.

“Islamabad Police will transfer Imran Khan to Islamabad under their protection. Law is equal for all,” it said.

Khan is accused of concealing, in his assets declarations, details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana — a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept.

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