Protests broke out in various Pakistan cities on Tuesday after the ousted prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan posted a dramatic video message saying he may be killed or jailed but his supporters must continue their fight against the present government.
The message was posted soon after PTI workers clashed with police officials who reached Khan’s Lahore residence to arrest him in the Toshakhana case. A large number of PTI workers equipped with clubs and sticks were present outside Khan’s residence to resist the police action.
According to local media reports, police fired tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse PTI supporters, who pelted stones, resulting in injuries. Both Khan’s supporters and policemen were injured in the clashes. Islamabad DIG (operations) Shahzad Bukhari, who was leading the police team, was among the injured, reports said.
In the video message, Khan urged his supporters to come out to protest. “They think that after my arrest, the nation will fall asleep. You have to prove them wrong,” 70-year-old Khan said in the video. “If something happens to me and I am sent to jail or if I am killed, you have to prove that you will struggle without Imran Khan and not accept the slavery of these thieves,” he added.
The Toshakhana case is about concealing information about the expensive gifts Khan retained from the Toshakhana (state depository where gifts given to government officials by foreign dignitaries are kept). Khan was accused of selling the expensive gifts he had received as the prime minister, in violation of rules.