[Police detain supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a search operation in the Khan's resident, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 18, 2023. Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Khan's residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan's supporters and police, officials said. /PTI]
Lahore, March 18 : Police on Saturday allegedly recovered assault rifles and ammunition from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's Zaman Park mansion in a search operation, while detaining over 60 party cohorts accused of resorting to hostilities to obstruct the law, media reports said.
Pakistan Punjab's Inspector General of Police Usman Anwar, in a press conference, said police had finished the search and cleanup operation in Zaman Park and took into custody AK-47 assault rifles and a large number of bullets from Imran Khan's mansion in Lahore's posh neighbourhood, Geo News reported.
Moreover, glass bottles, suspected to be used in making Molotov cocktails, and hundreds of marbles for being shot at police with slingshots were also collected.
Later, Anwar said five more Kalashnikovs were also found on Khan's property. To a question, the IG said the legal status of the guns - whether they were licensed or not - was being evaluated, Geo News reported.
He said before the operation, the roads around the park were blocked with shipping containers, "which now have been cleared".
"The police broke the main gate with an excavator and entered Imran Khan's house," the police official said, adding that a curtain had been placed on the broken gate, Geo News reported.
The police and PTI supporters recently fought pitched battles outside the former Prime Minister's home in Lahore, wounding several on both sides when the former tried to arrest Khan.
Hours after Khan hit the road to attend the Toshakhana case hearing in the capital on Saturday, Punjab Police barged into his residence.
The police operation was launched this morning to clear the area of 'security camps' established by the party.
Television footage showed police entering the Khan's eight kanal house after using an excavator to bring down the main iron gate of the house. A number of PTI workers were also taken into custody.
/IANS