Screengrab of the PTI chief’s video statement
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday reiterated allegations of serving military officer Maj. Gen. Faisal Naseer plotting to assassinate him, as he hit out at the military’s media wing for urging him to cease ‘baseless’ allegations without evidence.
In a video statement released prior to his departure for Islamabad where he is to attend court proceedings, he said he wanted to say two things. “Firstly, the ISPR has issued a statement that the institution has been disrespected—the army has been disrespected [by me] naming an intelligence officer that has tried to kill me twice,” he said. “ISPR sahib, listen to me carefully. Respect is not to a single institution; respect should be for every single citizen,” he said, adding that he did not need to “lie” because he was chief of the country’s “largest” political party.
“This man tried to kill me twice and whenever an investigation is carried out, I will prove that it was this man and there is a whole gang with him,” he alleged, questioning why he was unable to register a first information report against the officer for his alleged role in the Wazirabad shooting. Flipping legal requirements by arguing for “guilty until proven innocent,” Khan said if Maj. Gen. Naseer was innocent, “it would have been revealed. He also reiterated claims of the officer being so “powerful” that he had been unable to register a case against him despite being in power in Punjab. Just a day earlier, then-Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi—now the president of the PTI—told a private TV channel that he had blocked the FIR registration because of “technical” defects.
Claiming that two senior police officials had refused to become a part of the joint investigation team (JIT) formed by the Punjab government to investigate the Wazirabad, he questioned who was behind that. He further alleged that the JIT had determined that three shooters were involved in the incident, adding that this was “sabotaged” after four Counter-Terrorism Department officials changed their statements. “The prosecutor general investigated. He said action should be taken against the four because they tried to sabotage [the JIT]. Who was behind them? Who was this powerful?” he questioned, referring to an officer appointed by the PTI.
The PTI chief continued his statement by claiming he would prove the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had taken over the Judicial Complex in Islamabad the night before he was to attend a hearing in the Toshakhana case in March. At the time, Khan had claimed he refused to attend court proceedings because he was informed “unknown people” were positioned there with plans to kill him. “I will prove that ISI were present in CTD uniforms and lawyers’ garb. I will prove that a brigadier, who I will not name, was there to monitor everything. What was the ISI doing there?” he said, while claiming the mother of slain anchor Arshad Sharif had also taken the names of the intelligence officer but had not been able to find any justice.
“ISPR sahib, when an institution takes action against black sheep, it improves its own credibility. An institution which catches corrupt people strengthens itself,” he claimed. “It is my Army, my Pakistan not just yours. It is our Army,” said Khan, while lamenting harassment of PTI supporters who spoke against the military.
Referring to his court appearance today, the PTI chief said there was need for a heavy contingent of police and other officials—which has been granted due to the PTI’s constant claims of Khan being under threat. “If someone has a warrant, come to me directly … I am prepared to go to jail,” he claimed, not for the first time, despite putting up heavy resistance to every attempt by police to arrest him. “Do us a favor and don’t stage such a drama and directly provide a warrant,” he added.
Khan said he was even ready to die at the hands of “Dirty Harry”—his euphemism for Gen. Naseer—and urged the nation to “get ready.”