'Grand operation' expected against 'terrorists' hiding in Zaman Park as deadline ends

• Heavy police contingent posted around Zaman Park. 
• IG Punjab, CCPO ask cops to remain vigilant. 
• Punjab govt had set a 24-hour deadline for PTI to hand over "terrorists" at Zaman Park.

LAHORE: The Punjab Police may launch a “grand operation” to arrest the “terrorists” allegedly holed up in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence, sources told Geo News.

According to the police, all roads leading towards Zaman Park have been blocked and a heavy contingent of law enforcement is in the area.

The Punjab government had given a 24-hour ultimatum to the PTI to hand over the “terrorists” who had taken refuge in the former prime minister’s home. The government had given the PTI 2pm deadline which has now ended.

Sources said that the “grand operation” may be launched after the deadline ends.

Sources shared that the inspector general of Punjab police and the capital city police officer (CCPO) have asked the police to remain “vigilant”.

Punjab caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir said Wednesday night that the provincial government has no plans so far of arresting PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

"First let the 24-hour deadline expire then the government will reveal its plans," the provincial minister said during an interview on Geo News' programme "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath".

The minister’s comment came hours after the PTI chief expressed fears that he would be arrested.

"Probably my last tweet before my next arrest. Police has [sic] surrounded my house," the PTI chief — who was ousted as the prime minister last year in April — said in a tweet.

Amir Mir added that Khan is inciting people, "just like always". The information minister said the PTI chief was "lying".

In his presser earlier in the day, the minister gave the PTI a 24-hour deadline to hand over the "30-40 terrorists that have taken refuge" at the former prime minister's Lahore residence to the police.

“PTI should hand over these terrorists or the law will take its course,” warned the minister. He also added that the government was aware of the presence of these "terrorists" as it had credible intelligence reports.

The situation

On Wednesday, Geo News reporter Azam Malik, who was at Zaman Park, said the PTI chief allowed media access to his residence.

"The reason behind allowing the media to have a look at his residence is to show them the people over there," the reporter said, noting that the information minister's claim that several terrorists were inside the residence could not be corroborated.

He added that several PTI workers have also arrived at Zaman Park after the information minister's warning that an "operation" would be launched after 24 hours.

Crackdown

PTI leaders and workers are being arrested back-to-back after violent protests on May 9 following the party chief's arrest in which the army headquarters was also attacked.

Thousands of workers and top-tier leadership — including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, and Shireen Mazari — have been arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order.

The crackdown comes after the authorities vowed to bring all the vandals to justice, with the army being determined to ensure such incidents do not take place again.

The military and the government have decided that the vandals involved in the attacks on defence installations would be tried under the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act.

Several PTI leaders, although, have distanced themselves from the attacks on military installations and maintained that it supports the armed forces.