PM slams Imran for accusing Zardari of hatching assassination plot

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has lashed out at PTI chief Imran Khan for levelling “baseless and dangerous” allegations against former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Former prime minister and the PTI chairman claimed on Friday that a new plan was hatched for his assassination, accusing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Zardari of being a key conspirator.

“Imran Niazi's baseless & dangerous allegations against former President Asif Ali Zardari are not only irresponsible but also conform to a pattern of conspiracy theories meant to spread venom against his political opponents,” the premier wrote on his official Twitter handle on Saturday.

PM Shehbaz said Imran’s “nonsensical rhetoric” is an attempt to remain politically relevant. “The whole nation knows how he has used politics of hatred to divide the society for the sake of power,” he added.

Holding a news conference from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore via a video link yesterday, the former prime minister termed the alleged conspiracy ‘Plan-C’ for which he accused Zardari of paying money to a terrorist outfit to carry out the assassination attempt on his life.

“Now they have made a Plan C, and Asif Zardari is behind this. He has loads of corruption money, which he loots from the Sindh government and spends on winning elections. He [Zardari] has given money to a terrorist outfit and people from powerful agencies are facilitating him,” Imran alleged.

Also read: Zardari conspiring to kill me: Imran

“This has been decided on three fronts and they will act soon,” he added. “I am telling you this because if something happens to me the nation should know the people, who were behind this, so that the nation never forgives them,” he said.

Referring to the gun attack on him in Wazirabad in November last year, Imran further claimed that there was a plot to kill him under ‘Plan-B’ in the name of religious extremism. “They almost succeeded in their plan to kill me but now they are moving towards Plan-C,” he added.

Earlier today, the Pakistan Peopless Party announced plans to send a legal notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran over his allegations.

Addressing the media, PPP leaders Farhatullah Babar, Nayyar Bukhari, and Qamar Zaman Kaira criticised the deposed PM over his allegations. According to the PPP members, the former premier had “lost his mind” and the party would issue a legal notice demanding he rescinds his allegations.