Quetta police reaches Lahore to arrest Imran Khan in hate speech case

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 10 Mar 2023

A police party from Quetta on Friday reached Lahore to arrest former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan in a case of incitement against state institutions.

CCPO Bilal Siddique Kamyana confirmed that the Quetta police carrying arrest warrants for Khan has reached Lahore. 

The team is comprised of SP Nadeem Ahmad, DSP Abdul Sattar Achakzai, sub-inspector Malik Hameed, two trained commandos Qaisar and Sultan and driver Ilyas.

According to sources, the Quetta police team has not made any contact with the Lahore police so far. 

Quetta’s Judicial Magistrate-I on Thursday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan in a case pertaining to his hateful speech against the state institutions. 

The PTI chairman has already filed a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking protective bail in the Quetta case.  

A case was registered against Imran at Bijli Road police station in Quetta on Monday.

Sections 153A, 124A and 505 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 were added to the FIR lodged by citizen Abdul Khalil Kakar, who said the PTI chief’s statement is tantamount to destroying public peace and order.

Another case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan, party leader Shibli Faraz and 150 workers was also registered in Lahore on Monday for harassing and hurling life threats at an Islamabad police team when it visited Zaman Park to arrest the former prime minister.

The FIR was registered by the Race Course police on the complaint of Islamabad Secretariat police SHO Nadeem Tahir.

The SHO said he was part of the team of the federal capital police constituted for the arrest of PTI chairman Imran Khan to comply with the orders of additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ), Islamabad on Sunday. But as they reached Zaman Park, a charged group of 100-150 PTI activists, who were carrying clubs, surrounded them. 

The FIR further stated that the PTI workers hurled life threats at the police officials saying that they would kill them if they tried to enter Imran’s house.