ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday warned his predecessor and former premier Imran Khan against levelling allegations without proof at officers of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, after Khan accused a senior intelligence officer of having prominent anchor Arshad Sharif killed.
Ever since his ouster from office in April 2022, Khan has repeatedly attacked Pakistan’s military and senior intelligence officers, most notably the Inter-Services Intelligence’s (ISI) director-general for counter intelligence , Major General Faisal Naseer, accusing them of colluding with the government and torturing his supporters. After suffering gunshot wounds at an anti-government rally in Pakistan’s Wazirabad city in November last year, Khan publicly accused Naseer of orchestrating the attempt on his life. The military has vehemently denied the accusations.
Speaking to his supporters at a rally in Lahore on Sunday, Khan once again alleged Naseer was behind the attempt on his life last year. The former prime minister also held Naseer responsible for TV anchor Sharif’s killing, who was shot dead by Kenyan police in Nairobi last year in what they said was a case of “mistaken identity.”
The military has not responded to Khan’s latest accusations yet.
Taking to Twitter, PM Sharif criticized the former prime minister for “routinely maligning and threatening” Pakistan’s military and its intelligence agency for the sake of “petty political gains.”
“His leveling of allegations without any proof against Gen Faisal Naseer and officers of our Intelligence Agency cannot be allowed and will not be tolerated,” Sharif wrote.
Khan’s relations with the military soured while he was ousted via a parliamentary vote last year. In the months since former army chief Bajwa’s retirement in November, Khan’s criticism of the general has grown increasingly harsh and he has called for him to face court martial for plotting against his democratically elected government.
In recent months, Khan has criticized the incumbent army chief General Syed Asim Munir as well, alleging that human rights violations against his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party leaders and supporters have increased since Munir’s appointment to the post.
The former prime minister, who has threatened to take to the streets if the government does not abide by the Supreme Court’s orders to hold elections in Punjab by May 14, has announced a string of public gatherings in the coming days in several cities of Punjab.
Khan has said he will address supporters in anti-government public gatherings in Muridke, Ghakhar, Lala Musa, Gujjar Khan and Attock cities from Wednesday till Sunday.
