'Murtaza Bhutto-style murder' planned for me: Imran

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has once again sounded alarms that he was in the crosshairs as another plan was hatched to take aim at his life “either today or tomorrow” outside Zaman Park – his Lahore residence that remains a hotbed of ongoing political drama.

The former prime minister claimed the PDM government was planning to assassinate him at his residence like Murtaza Bhutto through a police operation.

Addressing his supporters through a video link from his Zaman Park residence in on Wednesday, Imran named the Inspector General (IG) Punjab, the IG Islamabad and the “handlers” for conceiving a plan to set the stage for a fake police encounter against him.

However, he appealed to his workers and supporters to show restraint in case of a police crackdown. “You should not respond to police brutality and remain peaceful at all costs. "The police would prompt you to become violent and use it as a pretext to come hard on us, but all the PTI supporters should not respond and allow the police to enter my home if they arrive with a new arrest warrant against me."

 “I am ready to be arrested, but I would not let my people die. I am not concerned about my possible arrest, but I am concerned about my workers. The judiciary should protect our rights,” he said.

He reiterated that he was lucky to escape the assassination attempt in Islamabad during his visit to the Judicial Complex to attend a court hearing. He averred that the police tried to entice their supporter by throwing stones at them to create mayhem and set the stage to kill him. He claimed that he received information from inside the police that ‘unknown’ people disguised in uniforms of the Counter Terrorism Department were deputed at the place and they also told him about what was about to happen against him.

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“All the footage of close circuit TV was mysteriously removed from the Judicial Complex while the IG scolded the policemen for allowing me to leave the complex,” he said, claiming that the IG was involved in the assassination attempt on him in Islamabad.

Khan alleged that the government attacked his residence as if a terrorist was hiding there. He further claimed that his party workers were separated from the rally and were being arrested while the police pelted stones from the roof outside the court during his appearance at the Islamabad court. “I was mentally prepared to be arrested in Islamabad,” he added.

Khan also accused the ruling coalition of trying to oust his PTI party from the elections, as they feared that their interests would be compromised if he returns the power. “The money they (the rulers) have stashed abroad was more than the money they were asking from the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” he added.

The former premier said that the inept rulers were destabilising the country and were the least concerned about what happens in the country, as their interests lie abroad. Their only concern right now was looting the national wealth and hence, they want to remove him, he added.

He urged the people not to abandon the struggle for their rights even if he was killed; “the rulers would make all efforts to make you their slaves, treat you like animals and thus deny you of your right to freedom. Break the shackle of fear and reclaim your right to freedom. If the incumbent rulers continue to stay at the helm, then the masses would have no future in this country,” he added.

Khan also announced holding a public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan on Saturday night where he would unveil the party's future line of action.