Imran Khan claims ex-President Zardari behind new plot to assassinate him

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday claimed that former president Asif Ali Zardari was behind a new plot to assassinate him for which the latter had "given money to a terrorist outfit", DAWN has reported.

In a televised address, the ex-PM said that plans had been made to assassinate him as soon as he was ousted.

"Earlier, in a public rally, I had told my supporters that there were four people who had planned to kill me […] but they backed off when I made these revelations,"said Imran.

Then a "plan B" was made to "eliminate" me in the name of religion, Imran continued, referring to the attack on his life in Wazirabad. "But I got to know about that too and I revealed their plan in two public rallies," he added.

Referring to Wazirabad attack, he said that the people behind these "conspiracies" had almost succeeded but "God saved him".

"Now they have made a plan C and Zardari is behind it. He has unlimited corrupt money […] the money he loots from the Sindh government is used in elections, to buy MPAs […] whether it is the elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Gilgit-Baltistan, he recklessly throws money around.

"He has given this money to a terror outfit. His facilitators are powerful people in the agencies. The decision has been taken from three sides and they have planned to execute the next crime," Imran claimed.

The PTI chairman went on to say that irrespective of whatever was planned, he would be back in the streets as soon as he recovered from the injuries he had sustained during the Wazirabad attack, reports DAWN.

"But if something happens to me, my nation should know who was behind it […] so that my nation never forgives them."

At the beginning of his address, Khan said that the state of Pakistan's economy could put Pakistan's national security at risk.

"Those who will bailout Pakistan out of this condition […] remember that they will ask for a price. The International Monetary Fund has asked Egypt and Sri Lanka to reduce their armies […] it can ask us to do the same."

The sinking currency, shrinking foreign exchange reserves, and soaring inflation, the former premier said, would not only have an impact on the populace but also Pakistan's security.

"Today, every Pakistani is worried about security, except for those who do not have a stake in Pakistan […] and I am the most worried about it," Imran said, adding that the incumbent government was to blame for these crises.