Police use water cannon, tear gas on Imran Khan's supporters as rallies banned in Lahore

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed that its "peaceful" workers were arrested as reports emerged that the provincial capital had been placed under Section 144, banning public gatherings.

Lahore: Pakistan's police on Wednesday fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse ousted prime minister Imran Khan's supporters who gathered outside his residence here, defying a government ban on rallies. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed that its "peaceful" workers were arrested as reports emerged that the provincial capital had been placed under Section 144, banning public gatherings.

The party termed the police action as fascist and an attempt to clear the way to arrest 70-year-old former cricketer-turned politician. A heavy contingent of police placed containers and barriers on the way to Khan's residence, blocking all entries. Police used water cannons, fired tear gas and baton charged the PTI workers including women. The police bundled the resisting workers into police vans, the party said.

The riot police also smashed the cars of the PTI workers which were parked at Zaman Park. Police officials also manhandled journalists who protested the action, it claimed. Last Sunday, police failed to arrest Khan primarily because of the resistance of a large number of PTI workers. Khan has been in the crosshairs for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana, and selling them for profit.

Police have registered at least 76 cases against the PTI chief since his ouster from power in April last year. "Police have arrested a number of PTI workers who had gathered at Zaman Park," PTI senior leader Hammad Azhar told a press conference here. He said police tortured PTI workers and also manhandled women.

"Punjab caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi launched the crackdown on PTI workers at the behest of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who is directly running the Punjab government," he said. He said it is the fear of Imran Khan that made the government unnerved. "How come the government can ban rallies in Lahore while elections in Punjab have been announced for April 30," he asked.

Another PTI senior leader Shireen Mazari said: "Women workers of PTI are being attacked by water cannons. Police attack vehicles parked by the side in a wanton act of destruction. Fascist CM Mohsin Naqvi has gone power crazy. They are using chemicals in the water from the water cannons being fired on our women workers especially."

The PTI rally was to be taken out for "respect and dignity of the judiciary." Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah justified police action, saying "we had terror alerts from agencies" therefore ban on public gatherings and rallies imposed on Punjab. (PTI)