Gilgit-Baltistan force being used to attack police in Zaman Park: Pak govt

Pakistan's Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed on Wednesday that a 'Gilgit-Baltistan force' was being "used to attack the Punjab police who are trying to implement court orders to detain Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan", a media outlet reported.

The minister's news conference comes as clashes between PTI workers and law enforcers took place outside Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence in Lahore as police were attempting to detain the PTI chief in pursuance of the arrest warrants issued by a local court in Islamabad on Monday.

Earlier on Wednesday, the PTI alleged that the party chief's residence in Lahore was "under extreme attack" as it posted footage of armed law enforcement personnel opening fire, which could not be independently verified by Dawn.com and it could not be ascertained if it was from today, Dawn reported.

At a news conference, the minister said that Imran Khan wanted "unrest and anarchy" in the country.

She refuted the allegations of the government's involvement in attempting to arrest Imran Khan. She stated that the PTI chief was wanted in several cases, including threatening a judge, foreign funding, and Tyrian White and Toshakhana.

The minister accused the PTI chairman of using women and children as human shields outside Zaman Park during the clashes, the Pakistani daily reported.

She further wave a copy of the warrant issued against Imran, and claimed that at least 65 policemen were injured while attempting to implement the court orders.

Aurangzeb claimed that a 'Gilgit-Baltistan force' was being "utilised to attack Punjab police", while also insisting that the law enforcement officials were unarmed, Dawn reported.

She also stressed that the law enforcement officials were merely carrying out court orders to apprehend an accused individual, who would call himself as "brave" but was now hiding in his residence.

--IANS

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