30-40 terrorists hiding in Imran Khan’s Lahore house: Pakistan’s Punjab govt

Lahore: The interim government in Pakistan's Punjab province has given a 24-hour deadline to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party chief Imran Khan to handover all "30-40 terrorists that have taken refuge" at his residence here, according to a media report on Wednesday.

The Caretaker Information Minister Aamir Mir while addressing a press conference in Lahore said, "PTI should hand over these terrorists or the law will take its course," Geo News reported.

Referring to the May 9 protesters as 'terrorists', Mir said that the government was aware of their presence at Khan's Zaman Park residence as it had credible intelligence reports.

"The intelligence report that has come is very alarming," Mir was quoted as saying, adding that the agencies were able to confirm the presence of the "terrorists" in Zaman Park through geo-fencing.

Geo-fencing is a technology that allows the movements of a person, vehicle, etc. to be recorded or limited using satellite signals.

Recalling the recent violent protests in the country following the arrest of ousted prime minister Khan, Mir alleged that "The PTI leadership had planned the attack before the arrest ." The arrest of Khan, 70, on May 9 by the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers at the Islamabad High Court premises triggered unrest in Pakistan.

For the first time in Pakistan's history, the protesters stormed the army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and also torched the Corps Commander's house in Lahore.

Police put the death toll in violent clashes to 10 while Khan's party claims 40 of its workers lost their lives in the firing by security personnel.

Mir also alleged that the PTI chief has been targeting the military for over a year under a set plan.

The interim information minister said that the government has adopted a “zero tolerance policy" towards violence and interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has given a “free hand” to the Punjab Police to deal with “arsonists”, the report said.

“Several arsonists were in touch with people inside Zaman Park during the attack on the Corps Commander House. They will be made an example so that no one will carry out such an act in the future,” Mir said.

"Those who have been arrested so far are being fully scrutinised. Cases are being forwarded after 100 per cent confirmation ," he said.

He said the government has decided that the attackers of military installations will be tried in military courts as an official announcement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Pakistan's National Security Committee endorsed the decision reached at the corps commanders’ meeting to try the "attackers" under the Army Act and Official Secrets Act.

However, the proposed move to try arsonists under the tough Army Act has come under severe criticism, with the rig­hts groups such as Amnesty International and the National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressing concerns.

The army had earlier issued a statement saying it would no longer show “restraint” against those who attacked its buildings, the report added.