• Imran claimed IG had ‘kidnapped’ him
• Police chief says PTI chairman was ‘indecisive’, not cooperative with police regarding security detail

ISLAMABAD: After securing relief from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan remained on the premises of the high court for more than 11 hours with the Islamabad police, prompting him to accuse the police of ‘kidnapping’.

The allegations levelled by the PTI chairman and events leading up to his release gave way to rumours regarding the actual intentions of the capital police, particularly the one about their alleged plan to keep Mr Khan in custody despite the court order.

Following his release, Imran Khan accused the Islamabad IG of trying to retain him in the IHC. In a video message on his way to Lahore on the same day, the PTI chairman said the IG told him that it was “dangerous outside but when we came out, the roads were empty and there was no danger of any kind”. According to Mr Khan, IG allowed him to leave for Lahore after his protest threat worked.

Insiders also revealed to Dawn that the former premier was ‘detained’ at the high court for several hours on the pretext of security but in the end, the police had to let him go after Mr Khan recorded a message for his supporters that “he was kept hostage” at the high court.

They told Dawn that the police had planned to detain the PTI chairman under the Maintenance of Public Order or to keep him in their ‘protective custody’ on the pretext of security. But the plan failed to materialise. The IGP, however, denied the existence of such a plan.

Events at court

According to police officers, Inspector General of Police Akbar Nasir Khan and the DIG (Security) met Mr Khan several times over the course of his stay at the court and informed him about the law and order situation. Mr Khan was reportedly told that the situation had deteriorated and he could not be allowed to go outside, insiders told Dawn.

They alleged that the police chief and the DIG (Security) also tried to scare Imran Khan so that the former premier would ask the police for protective custody himself. They claimed that IG Akbar Nasir offered Mr Khan to stay at Police Lines Headquarters, “the safest place”, amid security concerns. The PTI chairman refused. Eventually, Mr Khan was allowed to leave the court under the protection of the police.

‘Imran was indecisive’

IGP Akbar Nasir, however, in his version to Dawn contested the claims made by Imran Khan and the insiders. Mr Nasir said the PTI chairman was indecisive about his departure plan which prolonged the negotiation process.

Since the Supreme Court and the high court entrusted the capital police with the security of the PTI chairman, the police were negotiating with the former premier regarding his security detail, the police chief said, blaming Mr Khan’s non-cooperation for the delay in his departure from the high court.

IGP Nasir added Mr Khan changed his plans multiple times – at one point he wanted to go to Banigala, but later he changed his mind to Zaman Park. At the same time, he asked the police to allow him to leave the court premises on his own. This indecisiveness of the PTI chairman caused a delay in his release, he said while responding to a question.

After he left the court, a senior officer and a caravan of seven police vehicles accompanied the former premier to his house in Lahore’s Zaman Park locality, the IGP said. He also denied that the police had intended to arrest him under MPO.

Asked if police had verbal orders to detain the PTI chairman, “Not to my knowledge,” responded the police chief. Mr Nasir said police were investigating the shooting in the vicinity of the high court which occurred while Imran Khan was on the premises of IHC.

IB opposed release

Meanwhile, the Intelligence Bureau, in two letters addressed to the IGP and the Islamabad chief commissioner, had opposed the release of Imran Khan, claiming the intensity of the ‘mob’ violence will increase after the release of Mr Khan, police officers told Dawn.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan has been inciting the public against the state institutions in his statements and speeches for quite some time which led to riots throughout the country, including the federal capital, the IB letter claimed.

Protesters in the form of mobs took the law into their own hands in Islamabad, they said, adding that public and private buildings were damaged and torched by the protesters, as per the letter.

State buildings were attacked and acts prejudicial to the safety and integrity of Pakistan were executed by the mob, the officers said, adding that all major roads in Islamabad were blockaded by the mob and moveable and immovable property was damaged as well.

Routes leading to the airport were blocked and people were left stranded for hours, they said, adding that transport carrying essential commodities and food were not allowed to enter Islamabad by the protesters.

The violence occurred due to PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s continuous incitement of the public against the state institutions and state property, the officers said, adding that not only this, the private property was also damaged and set on fire by the unruly mob who was actually acting on the instigation by the accused.

In the second letter, the IB said that PTI supporters created a law and order situation across the country in the wake of the arrest of the PTI chairman. It may be noted here the police have registered 26 cases against the PTI supporters since Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2023