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Khan and his representatives did not immediately respond to
requests for comment.
"We have intelligence that some 30 to 40 terrorists who were
involved in attacking our army's buildings and installations are
hiding at Zaman Park," said Punjab province information minister
Amir Mir, referring to the upscale Lahore neighbourhood where
Khan lives.
"We're giving an ultimatum that these terrorists should be
turned over to the police, or else there will be action," he
told a press conference in the city.
He said Khan had 24 hours to surrender the suspects, and that a
police operation would be launched if he did not comply.
Khan was arrested on May 9 on graft allegations, which he
denies. He was released on bail last Friday, and on Wednesday
the Islamabad High Court granted a bail extension until May 31,
his lawyer Faisal Chaudhry said.
The arrest of the former prime minister, who was ousted in a
parliamentary confidence vote in April last year, has deepened
political instability in the South Asian nation of 220 million.
Pakistan was already facing its worst ever economic crisis, with
a long delay in securing an IMF funding which is critical to
avert a balance of payment crisis.
Thousands of Khan supporters had attacked and set on fire scores
of government and public buildings, including the army's
headquarters, following his arrest.
Punjab police had made a previous attempt to arrest Khan in
March from his Zaman Park home, which ignited clashes that
spread to many parts of Lahore in which one person was killed.
At Wednesday's press conference, Mir, the provincial information
minister, said those wanted over the violence and more than
3,000 suspects already in custody would be tried by military
courts.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), an independent
civil rights group, had said on Tuesday it opposed the use of
military laws to try civilians, saying it risked denying their
right to due process.
Khan has previously disowned those involved in arson and attacks
against the army, demanding an impartial inquiry.
The military has said the May 9 attacks against the army were
"pre-planned" and ordered by Khan party's leaders, which he and
his party deny.
(Reporting by Asif Shahzad; Editing by Alex Richardson)
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