Pakistan PM criticises Imran Khan for "baseless" allegations against former president Asif Ali Zardari

Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan for levelling "baseless" allegations against former President Asif Ali Zardari.

Sharif's reaction came after Khan claimed on Friday  that a new plan was hatched for his assassination, accusing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Zardari of being a key conspirator. "Imran Niazi's baseless & 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 Sharif said in a tweet.

He further said that Imran Khan's "nonsensical rhetoric" is an attempt to remain politically relevant.

In another tweet, Sharif stated, "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."

Imran Khan on Friday accused Asif Ali Zardari of being involved in a plan to assassinate him by giving a contract to a terrorist outfit, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. Speaking at a news conference, Imran Khan termed the alleged conspiracy 'Plan C' for which he accused Zardari of paying a terrorist outfit to carry out the assassination attempt.

"Now they have made a Plan C, and Asif Zardari is behind this. He has loads of corruption money, which he loots from the Sindh government and spends on winning elections. He [Zardari] has given money to a terrorist outfit and people from powerful agencies are facilitating him," The Express Tribune quoted Imran Khan as saying.

"This has been decided on three fronts and they will act soon," he added.

According to The Express Tribune, former Pakistan PM Khan further said, "I am telling you this because if something happens to me the nation should know the people, who were behind this, so that the nation never forgives them."

Khan, while referring to the gun attack on him in Wazirabad in November last year, said that there was a plot to kill him under 'Plan B' in the name of religious extremism. According to PTI Chairman, earlier there were four people, who conspired to kill him in a closed room.

"When I came to know about the plot, I made a video and sent it abroad and announced in a public meeting that if anything happens, the video will be released," The Express Tribune quoted Khan as saying.

"Now they are going to commit the next attack on me, which I am informing the nation today. Life and death are in the hands of Allah and I fear no one. I will go on the campaign trail anyway," Imran said, referring to the upcoming provincial assembly elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.