 "Maryam Nawaz")
A top ruling party leader in Pakistan Maryam Nawaz has vowed that if ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan showed proof of the alleged assassination plot, the Pakistan government would offer him more security cover than what is being currently provided to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice-President Maryam's comments came after Khan claimed on Saturday that a conspiracy to assassinate him was being hatched in Pakistan and abroad, warning that if anything happens to him, the people will come to know about the perpetrators through a video message he has recently recorded and placed in a safe place.
A conspiracy is afoot to take my life. I got full knowledge of this conspiracy a few days ago. The conspiracy is being hatched here and abroad against me in closed rooms. I have recorded a video about this conspiracy, naming all those involved in it. If something happens to me then the people will come to know who were behind this conspiracy, Khan had said during a rally in Sialkot in Punjab province.
Maryam, niece of Prime Minister Shehbaz, cast aspersions on Khan's startling claims and asked him to release the video immediately so that appropriate measures could be taken.
We will ensure provision of security to Imran even more than that of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif if he (Imran) produces the video in which he has recorded names of those who has made a plan to assassinate him, Maryam said during a rally in Pakistan's Gujrat district's Kotla on Sunday.
The senior PML-N leader accused the former premier of resorting to lies to remain relevant, and added that she would pray for Khan's life so that he can see the progress made by Pakistan under the current dispensation.
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I am sure that the talk of video is yet another lie, and let me guarantee Imran that my father Nawaz Sharif has a big heart and he will ensure provision of security for you (Imran) more than what is being provided to our Prime Minister, she claimed.
Separately, Imran Khan said no 'powerful killer' has ever been made accountable in the history of Pakistan.
"No one was arrested and made accountable in the assassination of first prime minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan, judicial murder of another premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the plane crash of Gen Ziaul Haq," Khan said, asking people to make a promise they would ensure that justice is done to him and the country after the recorded video is released in case something happens to him.
The chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf once again praised India for pursuing its "independent" foreign policy.
"India is buying oil and weapons from Russia but the US does not say anything to it because it (India) is an independent country. India is also doing trade with Iran but the US does not object to it," he said.
The 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was voted out of power last month through a no-confidence motion, which he alleges was masterminded by the US with the help of local players over his pursuance of an independent foreign policy.
His supporters used social media to target the army for doing nothing to save his government.
Khan has already announced a long march in Islamabad.
He said the date of the march would be made public after May 20.
The state institutions like the judiciary and the military have been severely criticised since the Imran Khan-led government was ousted from power through a no-confidence motion.
Since then, Khan held several public rallies in different cities, labelling the new government as traitors and corrupt rulers allegedly imposed at the behest of the US.
Following his ouster, he has blamed the US for conspiring against his government a stance that the incumbent government has refuted.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
