Pakistan former PM Imran refuses ‘permission’ for his Zaman Park residence search operation

Tariq Butt, Correspondent/ Reuters

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Friday refused police permission to search his Lahore home (Zaman Park residence) for suspects involved in this month's attacks on state and army buildings and laid out his own terms for any such operation.

Imran has denied sheltering anyone involved in the violence and said a search could only be conducted by a panel set up by a high court, with members form both the government and his party — and on the condition that a female officer accompanies them.

"They first said that there were terrorists (inside), but then they said that there were wanted men," Imran told reporters.

"I asked them, they could come and see inside if there was any wanted men, but they said they wanted to search my home, which I couldn't allow," he said.

"If they have to search, it will be under a court order, like it said earlier, that there will be persons from both sides with a woman included."

He said he feared police, unsupervised, could plant weapons.

The Punjab government on Wednesday claimed that “30-40 miscreants were hiding inside Imran Khan’s residence” and gave 24 hours to PTI to hand over these miscreants or face action — but even after the passage of 48 hours, no action has been taken.

The government’s negotiation team — after securing search warrants from an anti-terrorism court — was at Zaman Park for more than an hour and discussed the standard operating procedures (SOPs) with the PTI chief and his legal team, but they could not make headway.

Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir said a day earlier that law enforcers wanted to conduct a search operation at Imran’s residence after his permission and in front of cameras to apprehend “miscreants."

Imran has said that everyone is condemning the May 9 attack on army installations and demanded a probe into it.

“Who is not condemning the burning of the Lahore Corps Commander House? Tell me one person in Pakistan who is not doing it,” he told reporters.

“The burning of that old building, it is being blamed on us on purpose. In 27 years, have I ever said to turn to burning and rioting? I have always talked about peaceful protests within the law and the Constitution,” he added.

The former premier said he was not holding any dialogue with anyone because he had made it clear that “talks will be held on the issue of elections only, nothing else.”

“I have no conflict with the other side (establishment), but I do not know why they are annoyed with me,” the PTI chairman said in response to a question.

He reiterated his allegations that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was conspiring to eliminate the PTI with the help of the military and said this move was dangerous for the country as it may result in the same circumstances which resulted in the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971.

“If anyone fights against its army, the country will be defeated,” he said.

The former premier also talked about desertions within his party and sympathised with the leaders who quit the PTI “under pressure” in the wake of the crackdown.

Nearly ten days after the unprecedented May 9 attacks on the key military installations and symbols, President Arif Alvi has urged Imran to openly condemn this destruction.

Speaking to a private news channel, the president stressed the need for bringing those involved in the May 9 mayhem — including the attack on Lahore’s Jinnah/corps commander house and military installations across the country — to justice.

On Thursday, Imran Khan's aide, Iftikhr Durrani, allowed journalists into some areas of the home to "look for terrorists."

Imran  said he was worried what police would do if allowed to search his home without a court order.

"We fear that they will do what they did earlier - they stormed my home in my absence and said that they found weapons."