PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday said that there still remained a threat to his life even after the Wazirabad assassination attempt. “Well, unfortunately, I do think they could try again. The threat [to my life] remains. Those people who wanted me to be eliminated […] the reason they want me to be eliminated is that my party is by far the most popular party in Pakistan,” Imran Kahn said when questioned about any lingering threat in an interview with France 24 on Wednesday. He added that even though he would take more precautions now upon joining the party’s long march to Islamabad, the fear of death would not stop him from “pursuing what I believe is a mission to fight for the rule of law in this country.” “The threat of being killed is not going to stop me from resuming this mission.” In response to a question about the press conference of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief last month, Imran said it was an “unadvisable” press conference, explaining that no ISI head should do a press talk. “If I reply to it point by point, then the institution of the army will be damaged and that’s not what I would like to do because we do need a strong defence force here,” he said. “I think the press conference was also in response to our best investigative journalist who was portraying my point of view. He had been threatened with death after which left the country and was later assassinated in Kenya,” Imran said, referring to the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif. Imran said there was a “big public backlash” in the killing’s wake and “people pointed fingers at the establishment”. “I felt that the press conference was more to placate the public opinion,” he added. Talking about his alleged change of position regarding the United States behind his removal from power, the PTI chief reiterated his claim about the cypher and its alleged role in his government’s ouster. “What I said was that [the conspiracy] is behind me. I should not […] just because my government was toppled by the US […] I should not let this get in way of what is in the interest of the people of Pakistan which is to have good relations with all countries but especially the US which is a superpower,” he said. “That’s exactly what I said. I never backtracked on this because the cypher exists. It was put in the cabinet, NSC (National Security Committee) and now it is with the chief justice … so there was no question of backtracking but it was a question of moving on,” he added. Imran Khan once again demanded fresh elections, saying that it was the only way out of the present economic crisis in Pakistan. “People think Pakistan’s economy is sinking and it doesn’t have the strength to pay its debts. This is dangerous because people here will lose faith and stop investments leading to inflation and unemployment,” he said in a video address. “It is important to pull the country out of this swamp and free and fair elections are the only way to do that,” he said. However, in the same breath, he said that the elections won’t be announced because Nawaz and Zardari were “scared”. “During the by-elections, PTI won by a margin of 75 per cent despite attempts of rigging […] so now they are scared that they will lose.” Imran Khan alleged that the PML-N, Jang Group and Geo were in cahoots in conspiring and starting campaigns against him such as the foreign funding and Toshakhana references. “This combination of the PML-N and Geo brought a fraud whose prior history was quickly exposed by social media,” he said. “They brought that fraud and did a whole programme where he said Imran Khan’s watch was sold at such a high price … and they did a whole propaganda campaign [against me].” Imran said he did not have any hope of justice from Pakistan’s legal system and had therefore decided to file a case in London against Geo Group and it would be made to answer for his character assassination. “I will pursue a case against this person, this fraud, in Dubai, and I will file a case against Geo in Dubai and Pakistan. I have decided that now we will take them to court because we will prove that Geo Group’s method in the country is propaganda – its purpose is not freedom of journalism but it uses its media group for an agenda.” PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said that the party’s long march to Islamabad is showing its intended effects. A press release from the PTI’s Central Media Department said Imran made the comments while meeting a delegation of journalists in Lahore. “The awareness, consciousness and movement of the nation are standing as an iron wall in the way of fulfilling the ambitions of the imported government and its facilitators,” the press release quoted Imran as saying. The PTI chief said that attempts to cow the nation through “oppression, fascism and the worst violations of constitutional rights” were proving unsuccessful and attempts to derail the march were “ground to dust as well”. Imran Khan said that he will announce the date for the long march’s touchdown to Rawalpindi within a day or two. “After reaching Rawalpindi we will take the next step […] whatever it is, we will be peaceful and abide by the Constitution and law,” he said. Imran Khan called on the chief justice of Pakistan to launch a probe into the Arshad Sharif murder case, Azam Swati custodial torture and the issue of the Wazirabad FIR. “This is a defining moment for the country and we are requesting you to grant freedom to the country by giving us justice,” he said. “Our justice system is the only ray of light in this darkness,” the PTI chief said, adding that the nation was looking at the CJP. Imran Khan reportedly said that his party is sitting back and watching, as the government decides to appoint the next army chief. He took a dig at the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif alleging that the former prime minister wants to appoint someone to ensure his protection. “Let them do what they want. Nawaz Sharif wants to appoint an army chief who will protect his interests. No army chief will go against the nation’s interests,” the PTI chief said. Revealing about receiving an invitation to conduct negotiations, the PTI chairman said: “Message of negotiations is being sent to us, but we responded seeking an election date. Free and fair election has the solution to all the crises.” Imran Khan accused the government of bringing changes to the Pakistan Army Act for “its personal benefits”. He said that all the appointments made by the coalition government were taken in the view of personal benefits. “Hence, I feel that by making changes to the army act, they will harm institutions for their own interest.” Imran also slammed PM Shehbaz for consulting PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif over the army chief’s appointment, saying that a convict could not take important decisions for the country. “This is a very important time for Pakistan and all its decisions should be taken on merit,” he stressed.