Police withdraw from the cricketer-turned-politician’s home to permit a cricket match to be performed as scheduled.
When an intense two-day police operation to arrest former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan within the japanese metropolis of Lahore got here to a halt, it was cricket that got here to the previous cricket star’s rescue.
Police had surrounded Khan’s residence within the provincial capital of Punjab province since Monday to arrest him for failing to show as much as court docket on corruption prices, however they retreated on Wednesday afternoon following court docket orders to droop the operation till the following day.
Earlier than moving into politics, Khan’s reputation was based mostly on his illustrious cricket profession, which ended after he led Pakistan to its solely Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) Males’s World Cup title in 1992.
A senior police official informed Al Jazeera earlier on Wednesday that forces deployed exterior the cricketer-turned-politician’s home have been withdrawing with the intention to enable the knockout matches of the Pakistan Tremendous League (PSL) cricket match to be performed as scheduled.
“For the reason that groups have to achieve the stadium just a few hours earlier than the match and the routes must be cleared out, the safety personnel at Zaman Park have stepped again for a short time,” stated the officer, who didn’t wish to reveal his identify.
Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, which is internet hosting a PSL match between the Lahore Qalandars and the Multan Sultans on Wednesday night, is 9km (5.6 miles) from Khan’s residence in Zaman Park.
Cricket followers in Pakistan took to social media to precise their delight when PSL confirmed that Wednesday’s match will likely be performed as deliberate.
The #HBLPSL8 Qualifier in Lahore as we speak will likely be performed on the Gaddafi Stadium as scheduled.#SabSitarayHumaray
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 15, 2023
“There may be nothing to fret about, PSL 2023 will likely be performed as per schedule. The police & all different safety forces round Zaman Park have stepped again from the operation to arrest Imran Khan on account of PSL 8 playoffs completion in Gaddafi Stadium Lahore,” one Twitter person stated.
Breaking Information: There may be nothing to fret about, PSL 2023 will likely be performed as per schedule. The police & all different safety forces round Zaman Park have stepped again from the operation to arrest Imran Khan on account of PSL 8 playoffs completion in Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. #LQvMS #HBLPSL8 pic.twitter.com/P1uqXSmZt4
— Ahmad Haseeb (@iamAhmadhaseeb) March 15, 2023
Sources declare that police & rangers have moved again from Zaman Park due to the PSL match tonight in Lahore & won’t make a transfer to arrest Imran Khan till the match ends. In the meantime, all eyes on Islamabad and Lahore Excessive Courts the place petitions of Imran Khan are being heard.
— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) March 15, 2023
Cricket is the preferred sport in Pakistan and the PSL is its premier home cricket competitors, which additionally attracts worldwide cricketers to the nation. Nonetheless, the PSL was performed within the United Arab Emirates from 2015 to 2019 on account of safety considerations in Pakistan.
The sport’s administration has been traditionally embroiled in politics as the highest posts of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) bear a change with each successive regime change within the nation.
Present PCB Chairman Najam Sethi is considered one of Khan’s fiercest rivals and was appointed by the present authorities after Khan was deposed from the nation’s helm.
Earlier this week, Khan introduced a public gathering at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan monument on March 19, the identical day because the PSL remaining.
Sethi has publicly requested the Punjab province’s chief minister to make sure safety for the match’s remaining.
“@MohsinnaqviC42 HBLPSL8 multi million greenback Ultimate on 19 March will likely be performed earlier than 25k folks at Gadafi Stadium & 100 m throughout the globe,” he wrote on Twitter. “That is Pakistan’s most interesting showcase. Punjab govt should guarantee failsafe safety & clean site visitors move to facilitate peoples entry to stadium.”
@MohsinnaqviC42 HBLPSL8 multi million greenback Ultimate on 19 March will likely be performed earlier than 25k folks at Gadafi Stadium & 100 m throughout the globe. That is Pakistan’s most interesting showcase. Punjab govt should guarantee failsafe safety & clean site visitors move to facilitate peoples entry to stadium.
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) March 14, 2023
As per the court docket’s order issued earlier on Wednesday, the operation to arrest Khan will likely be halted till 10am on Thursday (05:00 GMT), practically 12 hours after the PSL match in Lahore.
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