My life is in danger, says Imran ahead of no-confidence motion

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday that he has credible information that his life is in danger but asserted that he is not afraid and will continue his fight for an independent and democratic Pakistan.

In an interview with ARY News ahead of Sunday's no-confidence motion in the National Assembly against him, Mr Khan said the "establishment" (the powerful military) gave him three options - no-confidence vote, early elections or resignation as the Prime Minister, reports PTI.

He said not only his life was in danger but the Opposition, which is playing in foreign hands, will also resort to his character assassination.

"Let me inform my nation that my life is at risk too, they have also planned for my character assassination. Not only myself but my wife too," the 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician said.

Answering a question about what options the Opposition gave him, Khan said that he does not think he should talk to people like Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif.

"If we survive (the no-confidence vote), we cannot of course work with these turncoats (who left PTI to join the Opposition), early elections are the best option, I will urge my nation to give me a simple majority so that I won't have to do compromises," he said.

Terming the opposition's no-confidence motion a conspiracy, Mr Khan said he knew about it since August last year and he had reports that some Opposition leaders were visiting embassies.

"People like Husain Haqqani were meeting Nawaz Sharif in London," he said.

Mr Khan reiterated what he said in a televised address to the nation on March 31 that a foreign country not only expressed disapproval over his premiership but also demanded that he be ousted through a no-confidence vote so that Pakistan be "forgiven".

He said that the foreign country objected to his independent foreign policy, ARY News reported.

Mr Khan said the "threat memo" did not only demand a regime change but clearly mentioned that he should be removed as the prime minister.

Earlier, Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Friday claimed that a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Khan has been reported by the country's security agencies, ahead of Sunday's no-trust motion against the premier, reports Dawn.

Mr Khan's security has been beefed up as per the government's decision after these reports, added the report.

His statement came a week after similar claims were made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Faisal Vawda who had said that a conspiracy was being hatched to assassinate Khan over his refusal to "sell the country".

Faisal Vawda had made the remarks on ARY News show over a letter Prime Minister Khan had brandished at the PTI's March 27 show of strength here, claiming that it contained "evidence" of a "foreign conspiracy" to topple his government.

'Absolutely no truth to allegation', US refutes Imran's claim

The White House on Friday categorically rejected allegations by Prime Minister Imran Khan that the United States is involved in a 'conspiracy' to oust him from power with an official saying there is "absolutely no truth" to the claim, reports The Express Tribune.

During a press briefing, White House Director of Communications Kate Bedingfield was asked about Washington's response to the premier's accusation of "the US working with the opposition to remove him from power".

"There is absolutely no truth to that allegation," she responded.

Yesterday, PM Imran said he was paying the price in the shape of a "foreign conspiracy hatched by the United States" to topple the incumbent government through the opposition's no-confidence motion for pursuing an "independent foreign policy".

In an address to the nation, he stated that on 7 March the government received a message from a foreign country through Pakistan's ambassador there, which said that they would pardon Pakistan's all misgivings if Imran Khan was ousted. If happened otherwise, Pakistan would have to face difficulties.

 "This (message) is against the nation," he said, adding that the message coming before the vote of confidence showed that the political opponents were in contact with that country."

He added that the opposition leaders, who were now beloved by the said foreign country, never condemned 400 drone attacks by the United States during their tenures killing innocent people.

Pakistan late on Thursday night lodged a formal protest with the US over a threatening letter that warned of dire consequences if the opposition's no-confidence motion against PM Imran failed.

The acting US envoy in Islamabad was summoned to the Foreign Ministry over the "threatening" letter, hours after the country's top decision-making body on national security voiced concerns over the issue during a meeting chaired by the premier.