Punjab Inspector General (IG) Dr Usman Anwar on Saturday said that “ammunition” — including petrol bombs — was recovered from outside PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore, which was raided earlier today.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore following the raid, IG Anwar put on display the alleged petrol bombs and said, “These petrol bombs were recovered from there (Zaman Park), and there is also ammunition other than this.”

The police chief said bunkers and sacks of sand were also found, which he said were creating the impression of it being a no-go area.

He claimed that the spot near Imran’s house where the “petrol bombs were made” was also identified by the police.

A day ago, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had allowed IG Anwar’s request to search Imran’s Zaman Park residence for an investigation into attacks on police teams when they went there to execute warrants issued by an Islamabad court for Imran’s arrest in the Toshakhana case.

During the press conference today, IG Anwar explained how the petrol bombs recovered were “used by the PTI workers against the police”.

The senior police official justified the search operation, saying the LHC had clarified that the investigation “could not be stopped or stalled in any way”.

He lauded the police personnel for clearing the “no-go area” around Imran’s residence “even after the police was pelted with stones”.

IG Anwar further said the LHC had suggested the use of latest technologies to trace “those who spread anarchy”.

Following the directives, the police made a list of the people with the “help of pictures, HD cameras, videos, geo-tagging, geo-fencing, reports from the special branch of police and other intelligence agencies”, he added.

Regarding the search of Imran’s house, the IG said the police had spoken to the senior PTI leadership but were informed that Imran was not present at his Zaman Park residence.

IG Anwar said the police arrested people who were involved in “firing slingshots and pelting stones” on the police and cases under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act were registered against them.

“We did not fire a single shot as neither did we have a rubber bullet nor a live one,” he added.

He said there was video proof that only the suspects were arrested. “There is not even a question of any action taken against any unrelated person.”

Sitting alongside IG Anwar, Caretaker Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir said that there was “extreme resistance” during the police action as the “police was attacked with petrol bombs and their cars were destroyed”.

He added that cases were registered against the “rioting elements” as they had caused great damage to property.

Around 65 ‘suspicious’ people found: Sanaullah

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said in a press conference in Lahore later in the day that around 65 “suspicious” individuals were found in Zaman Park, the majority of whom did not hail from Punjab.

The interior minister also said that weapons and materials were found from the site, adding that “all these items were used against law enforcement agencies.”