Marriyum Aurangzeb reacts to Imran Khan’s allegations

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb reacted to the statement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and questioned why the politician risked many lives when he knew about the assassination bid, ARY News reported on Friday.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a statement that Imran Khan had spread a false narrative of an alleged foreign conspiracy and cypher besides affecting ties with the ally states.

She said that all institutions were playing their constitutional roles and Imran Khan levelled allegations against the national institutions after they refused to fulfil his unconstitutional demands.

The information minister said that the false narrative of the PTI chief has failed. She alleged that Imran Khan traded consciences of many people and levelled allegations on others.

She raised questioned who will be responsible for the PTI worker Muazzam’s killing in the long march. She also criticised Khan for not mentioning the names of other wounded PTI workers in his speech today.

Earlier, Imran Khan delivered his first address to the PTI workers from the Shaukat Khanum Hospital – Lahore after getting injured in a gun attack during the long march.

Imran Khan said, “I was aware of an assassination attempt in Wazirabad or Gujrat. I knew that I would be targeted in Wazirabad or Gujrat.”

He said that the current rulers were shocked after PTI won the majority of seats during Punjab by-polls. “They start threatening our people after Punjab by-polls. Media is controlled and journalists are threatened. Our lawmakers were threatened via telephone calls to force them to leave Imran Khan’s side.”

Khan alleged that his assassination was planned behind closed doors. He said that he recorded a video in which he named the people who were involved in his assassination attempts.

He said that they decided to murder him like the assassination of Salman Taseer over the allegations of blasphemy and later they would claim that an extremist murdered him.

Imran Khan said that two attackers resorted to firing at his container during PTI’s long march. “One attacker opened fire from one side and another resorted to firing at me from the front. The arrested man is not mentally ill but there is a plan behind it.”

He saluted martyred PTI worker Muazzam for sacrificing his life. He also praised the PTI worker Ibtisam for making courage move to foil the gun attack.

He asked the rulers to not take such steps that would create Sri Lanka-like situation in Pakistan. He said that the nation brings change through the ballot and electing their rulers.

“I have already decided that death is a better option instead of being a slave of these thieves. I will take the streets once again and give a call for Islamabad march after getting better,” announced Imran Khan.

He said that it is the constitutional right of every individual to raise his voice. “We do legal and constructive criticism but not to ridicule someone.” He appealed to the nation to attend the PTI’s protests. Khan added that the investigation into the gun attack will not proceed until the resignations of the three persons.