The face-off between Imran Khan's supporters and police personnel continues.
The "real intent" of Pakistan police is to abduct and assassinate him and the arrest plan was "mere drama", former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan alleged today amid high drama on Lahore's streets over attempts to take him into custody,
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf leader made the grave allegation in a Twitter post after his supporters blocked police's attempts to arrest him from his Lahore residence. Stones were thrown at the men in uniform, who responded with water cannons.
As the face-off between his supporters and police personnel continues, reinforcements have been called in.
Khan today tweeted visuals of bullet shells and said they prove the police's "mala fide intent".
"Clearly 'arrest' claim was mere drama because real intent is to abduct & assassinate. From tear gas & water cannons, they have now resorted to live firing. I signed a surety bond last evening, but the DIG refused to even entertain it. There is no doubt of their mala fide intent," he added.
Slamming the "Establishment" for sending in paramilitary personnel to tackle his supporters, he also questioned the stand of "those who claim they are 'neutral'". "Is this your idea of neutrality, Rangers directly confronting unarmed protestors & ldrship of largest pol party when their ldr is facing an illegal warrant & case already in court & when govt of crooks trying to abduct & possibly murder him?," he asked.
The 70-year-old politician, also a cricket legend, is wanted in the Toshakhana corruption case. Last October, Pakistan's election commission found him guilty of unlawfully selling gifts he received from foreign dignitaries during his term as prime minister. Charges were then filed against him in an anti-corruption court that last week issued an arrest warrant after Khan skipped summons.
Khan's supporters hit the streets in Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi after his call to them to "come out".
"The police have arrived to arrest me. They think that if Imran Khan goes to jail, the people will go to sleep. You have to prove them wrong, you have to prove that the qaum (people) is alive," he said in a video message last evening.
"You have to fight for your rights, you have to hit the streets. God has given Imran Khan everything. I am fighting your battle. I have fought all my life and will continue to do so. But if something happens to me, they put me in jail or kill me, you have to prove that you can fight even without Imran Khan," he added.
Khan has also alleged that the move to arrest him is part of the "London plan". "This is part of the London plan and an agreement has been signed there to put Imran in jail, make the PTI fall and finish all cases against Nawaz Sharif," he has said.
Following his ouster as prime minister last year, Khan has been demanding snap polls. The demand has been rejected by his successor Shehbaz Sharif.