ISLAMABAD : Ruling coalition Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) leaders are severely criticizing PTI Chairman Imran Khan for alleging former president and PPP Co Chairman Asif Ali Zardari of plotting an alleged murder attempt on him (Imran).
In his most recent online media talk, former Prime Minister Imran Khan had alleged former President Asif Ali Zardari of ‘funding those who planned to kill him’. However, no proof was revealed by him.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Imran Niazi’s baseless and dangerous allegations against former President Asif Ali Zardari are not only irresponsible but also conform to a pattern of conspiracy theories meant to spread venom against his political opponents.
“Imran Niazi’s baseless and dangerous allegations against former President Asif Ali Zardari are not only irresponsible but also conform to a pattern of conspiracy theories meant to spread venom against his political opponents,” Shehbaz said in a Tweet on Sunday.
“Such nonsensical rhetoric is an attempt to remain politically relevant. The whole nation knows how he has used politics of hatred to divide the society for the sake of power,” he said in a subsequent Tweet.
A day earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders announced the party would start legal proceedings if Mr Khan did not withdraw his allegation.
“In this panic, he keeps on blaming various institutions whether it is the establishment, the election commission or the former army chief,” said Nayyar Bokhari, a prominent PPP leader while addressing a press conference.
“A person who himself is a patron of militants is saying a plot to kill him has been made by hiring militants. This tells what Mr Khan’s mental level is,” said another PPP leader, Farhat Ullah Babar.
“We are exploring [a] legal response to Imran’s latest defamatory and dangerous accusations. In the past, he threatened my father that he was in the crosshairs of his gun,” Foreign Minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted.
“After terrorist outfits called myself & my party out by name in direct threats, Imran has now made false accusations against my father former president AZ [Asif Zardari].”
“His [Imran’s] latest accusation that my family has any association to a terrorist organisation … not only defies logic but exposes us all to an increased threat,” the foreign minister said, adding his party would challenge Mr Khan.