The police in the Pakistani city of Lahore have arrested 340 individuals allegedly involved in the arson attack on a corps commander’s house during mass protests that erupted in the country last week, Pakistani media reported on Monday.
Those arrested include the main suspect in the case who allegedly stole the commander’s uniform and put it on himself during the storming of the residence, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported.
The Pakistani police managed to identify the perpetrators using surveillance cameras, video recordings and other sources, the report said.
Meanwhile, police officers across the Pakistani province of Punjab have identified 62 suspects in the recent attack on police vehicles and private houses. The information was handed over to the local authorities so that they can initiate criminal proceedings on respective charges, in particular, of terrorism.
The corps commander’s house in Lahore was attacked and set on fire during violent protests that flared in many cities of Pakistan after Imran Khan, the former prime minister and the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party, was taken into custody on May 9 in connection with corruption involving the Al-Qadir Trust, which he heads together with his wife. The politician is facing an inquiry in the case related to a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon, which reportedly caused a loss of 50 billion Pakistani rupees ($17.6 million) to the national exchequer. On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared the arrest of Khan illegal and ordered his immediate release.
On Friday, the judicial board of the Islamabad Supreme Court released Khan on bail until May 26. It also barred law enforcement authorities from arresting Khan until May 17 in connection with any new case filed against him after May 9.
