PML-N behind 'fake' audios, claims Imran

PTI chairman and deposed premier Imran Khan on Friday accused the ruling PML-N and its leader Maryam Nawaz of making ‘fake audios’, saying the rival party had started a new game.

Addressing a rally in Mianwali, he maintained that creating deepfake videos was not a big deal nowadays.

“Maryam Nawaz has made all these fake audios,” he claimed, saying that the PML-N was an expert in creating them.

He also played a doctored audio clip of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif at the rally, apparently downplaying his latest audio leak on ‘horse-trading’.

Hours earlier, an audio recording emerged on social media purportedly featuring Imran talking about ‘buying’ MNAs.

The PTI chief further claimed that 'four individuals' were hatching a plot to assassinate him over blasphemy allegations, warning that a video containing names of the ‘conspirators’ would be released if anything happened to him.

Imran added that PML-N leaders Marriyum Aurangzeb and Javed Latif had accused him of committing blasphemy in a bid to incite religious hatred against him.

“What was the game behind this [allegation]… four individuals sitting behind closed doors decided to have me killed over blasphemy allegations,” he alleged.
“If I get killed, they will say a religious fanatic killed him [Imran] because he had committed blasphemy,” he added.

Imran said he had recorded a video, containing the names of the conspirators, that would be released if anything happened to him. “The nation will not forgive them,” he warned.

Reiterating his plan to give the ‘ultimate call’ against the PML-N-led coalition government, Imran asked his supporters to prepare for the long march to the federal capital.

The PTI chief said he could give the call for the long march to Islamabad anytime soon.

However, he added that the long march was a part of his ‘real freedom movement’ and he was planning some other events which “no one has ever seen before”.

Imran said that he had decided to sacrifice his life for the 'freedom’ of the country.

“They are trying to scare us by threatening to throw us in jail. Now, I will start a 'fill prisons movement'. There are millions ready to go to jail, so don’t try to scare us,” he added.

Addressing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, the PTI chief said they and their ‘handlers’ could prepare to stop his march, but he would thwart all their plans.

“You can’t stop us now, you will have to hold elections.”

The PTI chairman also called the audio leaks from the Prime Minister’s Office a “grave security concern”.

He added that it was a “matter of worry” that the phone lines of the premier were being tapped.

“I ask our intelligence agencies ... your job is to protect the PM Office and if all these things are leaked, this your responsibility. You should understand this instead of threatening people and engaging in political engineering,” the PTI chief said.

(With input from agencies)