Arresting Imran Khan

Asem Mustafa Awan
The authorities are using tear gas and other means of force including arrests of PTI supporters in order to contain and disperse the PTI supporters gathered in Lahore. All this is happening whilst plans to arrest Imran Khan the former prime minister are being hatched with impunity.
The readers will recall that only recent an assassination attempt was made on Imran Khan at Wazirabad leaving him seriously injured.
He had asked court earlier for availing the option of video link, a facility that was afforded to the individual who was arrested for the Wazirabad incident.
Heavy contingent of police from Islamabad and Punjab besides Rangers have besieged Zaman Park Lahore while the internet service in the area is cut off.
All this is in pursuance of the court order from Islamabad High Court.  The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had grave reservations about the security and safety of Imran Khan which had been repeatedly air in public. Imran Khan has also not fully recovered from bullet injuries sustained in the Wazirabad shooting.
PTI is the largest political party in the country wide spread support according to the Gallup poll conducted not long ago. It clearly showed Imran Khan’s popularity above all others.
It is pertinent to note that eighty plus Investigation Reports have been registered against PTI’s chief Imran Khan which are believed by the public to be motivated by political vendetta.
It is worth mentioning that Imran Khan named government officials in his assassination attempt but to date his FIR hasn’t been registered.
The public, it seems is with Imran Khan believing what is happening is not right. The sympathy for PTI grows with each passing day.
The political acumen of Imran Khan can be questioned and disagreed with but what he has done has exposed all who have usurped national resources for decades.
The recent killing of PTI worker Ali Bilal alias Zille Shah has given rise to numerous questions. Firstly, it was Imran Khan who was nominated in the FIR for Ali Bilal’s murder which was later termed as accident. This mistake was allegedly by the government officials, later admitting that it was a mistake.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi senior leader in the PTI, accused Pakistan Democratic Movement government for postponement of the elections.
The ten months of regime change has taken the country in to a nose dive political polarization followed by economic meltdown. This is taking its toll. The world is watching Pakistan while at the same time United Nations have taken notice of the gross human rights violations besides IMF and USA.
The latest report relating to Toshakhana  details how the stately gifts were robbed systematically with less than 10 per cent payments or in some cases just whisked away for free.
The solution to this endless uncertainty lies in one thing only and that is free and fair elections .
Imran Khan should be given a chance to explain his position before court and government should hold back and display wisdom as political differences should not be taken to personal enmity.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.