Imran Khan’s charges added to threats to father, family: Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Saturday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s recent allegations against former president Asif Ali Zardari have increased threats to his father, family and the party and “we take them seriously given our history”.

In response to Imran’s allegations against the PPP co-chairman, Bilawal, in a series of tweets, announced to explore legal options against Imran and said that after terrorist outfits called him and his party out by name in direct threats, the PTI chairman had now made false accusations against his father Asif Zardari.

The PTI chairman, at a recent virtual press conference the other day, had alleged that Asif Zardari had hatched a plot to assassinate him with the help of a terrorist organisation.

Bilawal said: “We are exploring legal response to Imran latest defamatory and dangerous accusations. In the past he threatened my father that he was ‘in the crosshairs of his gun’. His [Imran’s] and his associates’ history as both sympathisers and facilitators of terrorists are well documented.

“We will not tolerate being victims of terrorists and put up with propaganda from their political frontmen,” he said.

Bilawal said when in power, he (Imran) released terrorists and arrested democrats, he handed over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to terrorist organisations, and his party funds terrorist groups to this day.

“All of these will be taken into account if any attack takes place against me, my father or my party,” he said.

The PPP chairman said Imran must realise that every time his wife has a dream, he cannot just come on TV and make accusations about people. “Her dreams won’t stand up in court,” he added.

Bilawal said: “His [Imran’s] latest accusation that my family has any association with a terrorist organisation or that we would employ them to cause harm not only defies logic but exposes all of us to an increased threat.”

Separately, in a presser, the PPP announced to send a legal notice to Imran.

The top leadership of the PPP, including Secretary General Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, Farhatullah Babar and Qamar Zaman Kaira, while addressing the press conference, said: “We demand of the Supreme Court that the judiciary should investigate the allegations of Imran and if anyone is involved in these allegations, severe punishment should be given. If Imran fails to present evidence, he should be made accountable.”

Nayyer Bokhari said that there was no truth in the allegations and the PPP legal team would issue a notice to Imran.

He said that Imran Khan should withdraw his statement and if he does not do so, then the PPP will take him to court.

Bokhari said Imran made allegations against his political opponents in the past and then took U-turns. “Imran is politically depressed and in his depression he made the allegations against his political opponents,” he said.

Farhatullah Babar said Imran was deranged as his mind was unable to work after losing power. “There is no fault of PPP and Asif Zardari in this, Imran is making fun of himself by making such accusations,” he said.

Farhatullah said Imran was himself a Taliban Khan and has been supporting terrorists.

Qamar Zaman Kaira said that Imran has always been attacking the institutions and it has become his habit to call the institutions traitors, even before this campaign of global conspiracies and local conspiracies.

He said Imran made such bizarre claims to keep himself relevant in politics, adding that this time, the allegations hurled by the PTI chief were quite serious and would be met with a stern response.

The PPP leaders requested the Supreme Court to investigate the allegations and take appropriate action if these were proved to be false. “If Khan fails to provide any evidence to substantiate his allegations, then he should also be held accountable,” Kaira added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, meanwhile, also came to the defence of Asif Zardari, saying that politics of hatred was being used to divide the society for the sake of power.

On his Twitter handle, Shehbaz said: “Imran Niazi’s baseless dangerous allegations against former President Asif Ali Zardari were not only irresponsible but also conform to a pattern of conspiracy theories meant to spread venom against his political opponents.

“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.”