Punjab police on Thursday sent delegates to former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's Lahore residence who surrounded the house and is likely to launch a security operation any time on Friday to arrest the "terrorists" allegedly holed up in his residence as the government's 24-hour deadline to hand them over expired.
On Wednesday, Punjab Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir claimed that some '30 to 40' terrorists were hiding inside Khan's Zaman Park residence and gave an ultimatum of 24 hours to the chief to hand them over or face stern action.
Earlier, senior Punjab government official said that the Punjab police will send a delegation to search Imran Khan's house in Lahore on Friday to apprehend "terrorists" allegedly holed up in his residence after seeking permission from the former prime minister.
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What did the govt say?
Punjab Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir said that the delegation would be led by the commissioner of Lahore. The team will set a time with Imran and then search his house in the presence of cameras,
The minister, in an interview with Geo News further stated that police contingents, of nearly 400 cops, would also accompany the delegation “to arrest terrorists holed up there”.
The caretaker Punjab government has said that this action is being done as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief has failed to meet the deadline to hand over the terrorists.
"We (the interim government) have decided that instead of a head-on collision, we will send a delegation to Khan Sahab under the supervision of the Lahore commissioner," Mir was quoted as saying by the Geo News.
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The minister had given a 24-hour deadline to the PTI chief for handing over "30-40 terrorists" present inside his Zaman Park residence, which expired at 2 pm Thursday afternoon.
Mir said Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi conducted a meeting, in which it was decided that the delegation would take an appointment from Khan's team and meet him after Friday prayers tomorrow, the report added.
"They will ask him (Khan) to allow them to conduct a search operation. A police party — comprising 400 personnel — will accompany the delegation as there is a reported presence of terrorists," he said.
Khan had also asked the law enforcers to conduct an operation at his residence but noted that they should carry valid search warrants with them.
"If he does not permit the delegation to conduct the search, then we will decide our strategy, but for now, we will want things to be conducted in a positive manner," the minister added.
On Wednesday, Mir claimed that some '30 to 40' terrorists were hiding inside Khan's Zaman Park residence and gave an ultimatum of 24 hours to the chief to hand them over or face stern action.
Meanwhile, Mir said that the authorities have apprehended eight terrorists who were fleeing from Zaman Park.
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"We have arrested eight terrorists who were at Zaman Park. We are investigating them and asking them about details, including who might be hiding inside the house."
The 24-hour ultimatum helped the authorities catch these people as they began leaving Zaman Park, he said.
"The reason behind using the term terrorists for them is because they were involved in Lahore Corps Commander House."
"We have information that some people involved in the attacks are hiding at the houses adjacent to Khan's house."
On May 9, violent protests erupted after the arrest of Khan. His party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander house), Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad. The Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was also attacked by the mob for the first time.
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Police put the death toll in violent clashes to 10 while Khan's party claims 40 of its workers lost their lives in the firing by security personnel.
(With PTI Inputs)
