Daily Times

PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday alleged that the PML-N had ‘started a new game’ of fake audios, saying that it was one of the party’s ‘specialties’.

“Maryam Nawaz has made all these fake audios, but remember: nowadays, it is not difficult to make such deepfake videos and we can do the same,” Imran said at a rally in Mianwali. Since the government is ‘facing defeat’ at every front, it is leaking ‘fake’ audios.

Imran also called the audio leaks from the Prime Minister’s Office a “grave security concern”, saying that it was a “matter of worry” that the phone lines of the prime minister were being tapped. “I ask our intelligence agencies […] your job is to protect the PM Office and if all these things are leaked, this your responsibility. You should understand [this] instead of threatening people and [indulging in] political engineering.”

Talking about another “game played by the government”, the PTI chief claimed that PML-N leaders Marriyum Aurangzeb and Javed Latif had accused him of blasphemy and ran programmes about it on national television. Imran Khan claimed that four people were planning to assassinate him, and if something happens to him, he would release their names. “The tape, which includes the names of four people, will be released if something happens to me,” the former prime minister said. “There are four people sitting behind closed doors – who planned to kill me – they have now decided to blame me for blasphemy so that someone kills me,” he said.

Without providing the names of the people planning to have him killed, Khan told the jalsa that if he were to be assassinated, then the people behind the plot will claim that a “religious fanatic has killed me”. “The people making plans against me will fail,” the PTI chairman said. Imran Khan said that he had decided to “sacrifice my life” for the freedom of the country. “They are trying to scare us by threatening to throw us in jail. “Now, I will start a Jail Bharo Tehreek (fill prisons movement). There are millions ready to go to jail, don’t try to scare us,” he asserted. The PTI chairman then asked them to prepare for the Azadi March, stressed that his planning for the protest this time was well-thought. “The march on Islamabad is just one part of it and the Kaptaan is planning other things that no one has ever seen before,” he avowed.

Addressing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Imran said: “You and your handlers can prepare, but remember the Kaptaan will scuttle all your plans. You can’t stop us now, you will have to hold elections.” He also said that even though the coalition government had gathered on one side with Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, they all cannot beat the PTI, “even if they try to rig elections”. “The Kaptaan standing before you is the man who went to India and defeated them on their home ground,” Imran added.

Imran Khan said that his party has far better plans than the government for the protest. “All plans of the ‘imported’ government against PTI would fail and they would be forced to announce elections,” he claimed. He urged the people of Mianwali to get ready for the final call, saying that no nation can prosper without real independence.

The former prime minister noted that it was good to hear that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered investigation into an alleged cypher, which according to him, led to his government ouster. He further said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was calling for an inquiry into cypher for the past six months, adding that they even forwarded the letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for investigation. Imran Khan pointed out his government’s performance, saying that the country’s economy was recovering during PTI’s tenure.

“The economic survey pointed out that country’s economy was recovering for the first time in 17 years,” he added. The PTI Chairman added that PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz before leaving for London held a press conference and blamed him for the case against her. “I urge you to speak the truth. I did not file a case against you. The case was registered in light of Panama Papers,” he added.

The PTI chairman said that the incumbent rulers were appointing their “own people” to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Providing the reason behind the appointments, the former prime minister said that the rulers wanted to have their corruption cases disposed of.