Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan may be assassinated by foreign powers, says former interior minister

Islamabad, Apr 13: Amid allegations of a "foreign conspiracy" to oust ex-Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, ex-minister Sheikh Rasheed has created a fresh controversy by claiming that Khan may be assassinated by foreign powers.

Speaking to reporters in Peshawar, Rasheed said, "Foreign powers may assassinate Imran Khan as superpowers did not like Khan's independent foreign policy," reported Geo News.

Rasheed, who is in Peshawar on the special invitation of Khan to attend a jalsa -- the first public rally the PTI chairman will be attending after his ouster from PM's office early Sunday, further claimed that Imran Khan might be jailed or assassinated by the "foreign powers" as they want (superpowers) to rein in Pakistan's foreign policy.

Rasheed said Khan would not bow down before the foreign powers as he berated the incumbent government for being "international beggars" due to whom Pakistanis abroad were burning their passports, reported Geo News. "The superpowers did not like Imran Khan's independent and impartial foreign policy," said Rasheed, claiming that even the people of Pakistani did not want to see the faces of the current leaders.

The former interior minister lamented that the allies who enjoyed the luxury of ministries had turned against them -- as the breakaway of the allies had helped the incumbent government to come into power, reported Geo News. Rasheed added that he was "good friends" with MQM-P's leadership and hoped that they get something out of the current set-up.

Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has decided not to join the federal cabinet and but to extend support to the newly appointed Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif government from the outside. It is pertinent to mention that MQM-P was a key ally of former Imran Khan's government and its switch over to Opposition parties led to the fall of Khan's government on Sunday, April 10.

Lashing out at the dissident MPs, he said: "How will the disgruntled people do politics in the future? Fly-by-night people do not stand with you when you need them the most." Noting that no slogans should be raised against the military, he said that the PTI chairman would give a call to march towards Islamabad in a month, reported Geo News.

Imran Khan lost the no confidence vote on Sunday after 174 lawmakers in the 342-strong lower house of parliament voted in favour of the no-confidence motion launched by opposition parties. Shehbaz Sharif has become the news Pakistan PM. Agency