Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister has said in an interview that his life was in danger and he received immense death threats when he was campaigning against the incumbent government that was “imposed on the nation”.
Talking to British television presenter Piers Morgan, he said, “I came into politics to fight these two families. When they brought them back through a conspiracy and imposed them on us, I decided that I was not going to sit at home.”
The former premier again named PM Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and an intelligence officer as the conspirators behind the assassination attempt on him in Wazirabad. He urged Chief Justice (CJ) Umar Ata Bandial to look into the matter.
Talking about slain journalist Arshad Sharif, he said, “He was hounded out of Pakistan, and the same intelligence officers were involved”.
Narrating the firing incident, the PTI chief said the firing of shots sounded like firecrackers. “It felt like a burning sensation”, Khan recalled.
He again claimed that there were two shooters at the scene who attacked him.
Khan said that it took him two hours after the attack to reach Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore from Wazirabad.
“I went to the hospital after a two hours drive, and the moment I got there I spoke to my sons and of course to my wife. My wife was remarkable. The fact I was safe, she was relieved but my boys were worried.”
Imran disclosed that his eldest son [Sulaiman] always differed with his decision to join politics. “He was quite worried when I was shot”, he said.
“Sulaiman is very sensitive, he always wanted me to out of politics,” Imran said.
“The moment my legs heal, I am going to be out again,” Khan said, during the interview. He claimed that he could be attacked again.
“People are so worried in my country, I never had this feeling before because they know the guys who missed this time, they would try again,” Khan added.
He also said that his party [PTI] is going to sweep elections this time.
The PTI chief said his remarks about the significance of Pakistan’s ties with the United States (US) had always been clear.
“It’s a superpower,” Imran said in response to a question. He underlined that it was unthinkable that one would not want to have good ties with the US.
“I have only one issue. Pakistan-US relationships have been like a transactional master-slave relationship. We degrade ourselves, I think we allow ourselves to be used like a tissue paper,” he stressed.
He said he wanted a relationship that mirrors the one that the USA has with India.
Commenting on the election of Rishi Sunak as the first-Indian origin British PM, Imran said he was surprised at his election.
“I must confess that I never thought that a day would come that Britain would be ready for an Indian-origin PM,” Imran said.
