Imran, key aides ‘planned’ May 9 riots: Report

LAHORE: Imran Khan and his close aides allegedly coordinated efforts to storm the residence of the Lahore Corps Commander and other buildings following the former Pakistan Prime Minister’s arrest on May 9, police in Punjab province claimed citing a geo-fencing report.

Police detected over 400 calls made by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and other senior leaders to allegedly incite party workers to move towards the military officer’s residence in Lahore Cantt, and other sensitive public buildings, Dawn reported.

It was observed that all the rioters were in contact with the PTI top leadership, based in Zaman Park, Lahore.

Inspector General of Punjab Police, Usman Anwar confirmed to Dawn news of the geo-fencing record and the alleged use of Khan’s residence for planning the attack on the Corps Commander’s residence.

A senior officer told Dawn that many important revelations had come from the analysis of the geo-fencing record: it was detected that 154 calls were allegedly made by Khan to party leaders and rioters to provoke them to attack.

He said the PTI chairman was the “prime suspect” who allegedly planned the attack on the house of the Corps Commander.

The officer said records showed all phone calls were made on May 8 and 9 to prepare workers to attack the building.

He said as many as a total of 225 callers were reportedly in contact with six PTI leaders; Hammad Azhar, Yasmin Rashid, Mahmoodur Rasheed, Ejaz Chaudhary, Aslam Iqbal and Murad Ras.

They were issuing “particular instructions to the rioters”, he claimed, adding that Yasmin Rashid received 41 calls from various activists of the party.