Responding to the party leadership’s call, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters on Monday continued to throng Bani Gala to protect their leader Imran Khan from being arrested in a terrorism case lodged after he had hurled threats at a judge and Islamabad police officials.
It is pertinent to mention that the PTI chief was granted pre-arrest bail by the Islamabad High Court for three days till August 25.
Shortly after, he came out of his residence to thank all the supporters for gathering in Bani Gala as a security measure in light of his arrest warrants.
Although rumors spread about Imran having moved to either Peshawar or Lahore, away from the jurisdiction of Islamabad police, Babar Awan told Islamabad High Court that the PTI chairman was still at his residence in Bani Gala.
Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi along with his son Moonis Elahi called on Imran at his Bani Gala residence.
Senior PTI leaders have alleged that the “imported government” was resorting to the same old tactics of blocking highways to create hurdles for the public to reach Islamabad.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa MPA from North Waziristan, Muhammad Iqbal Wazir, has
also announced to send “tribal militia” to protect Imran Khan. He also shared a video of preparations underway to leave North Waziristan with full force and enthusiasm.
Last night in the wee hours, panic struck among the senior PTI leadership when Murad Saeed took to Twitter, saying that, “Arrest orders have been issued for Imran Khan. The time has come to show our courage. Get out for the sake of Pakistan.” Fawad Chaudhry had also appealed to everyone in a video message to reach Imran’s residence. “Whoever is thinking to arrest
Imran Khan is daydreaming. We are gathered here in numbers of thousands and prepared for anything. All options are available with us.”
Addressing a press conference, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi advised all the workers to be ready for the party leadership’s call. “We are a peaceful and democratic people,” he said. “We have always continued our political struggle within the ambits of the law and Constitution.”
The ex-foreign minister warned the coalition government that “if they violate the sanctity of our house, then Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari will be responsible.”
Qureshi maintained that the public, including children in every nook of the country, should be waiting for Imran’s call.
Responding to a question while walking towards Imran’s Bani Gala residence last night, former defence minister Pervaiz Khattak, referring to the incumbent government, said, “Their fathers can’t even arrest Imran Khan.” He added that “Imran is a man’s son, and he will not flee away anywhere.”
Another PTI leader Ali Amin Khan Gandapur tweeted a sheer warning for the “imported government.” “If Imran Khan is arrested by the imported govt, we will take over Islamabad and my message to police is that don’t be part of this political war anymore,” he said, adding that the police will be dealt as Pakistan Democratic Movement workers.
Gandapur went on to say that “Let PTI and PDM leadership and workers fight and decide once and for all.”
PTI supporters claimed that an unarmed contingent of the Islamabad police had also reached Bani Gala around 3 am, but were forced to retreat after PTI upporters began chanting slogans against them.
