On the eve of an important by-election in Punjab this month, where Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is attempting to win seats against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Khan warned to disclose every detail of the ‘foreign conspiracy’ behind his ouster, saying that the provincial government was complicit in manipulating the upcoming elections.
Khan was ousted by a no-trust vote in April, but he steadfastly refused to accept defeat, instead insisting that his removal was the result of an American plot aided by local players. His aggressive behaviour has run afoul of the influential establishment.
In the video message, he raised the stakes by threatening to name the individuals behind the plot to overthrow his government if his persecution and that of his party were not halted.
Khan claimed he was remaining silent for the sake of the country, but he was fully aware of those responsible for his demise.
“I know how this conspiracy happened and who is involved. If we are pushed against the wall and harassed then I will be forced to speak up and will lay bare everything before the nation about what happened,” Imran Khan said.
The former premier added that he possessed a tape that would be made public if something happened to him and would show “which characters did what and who perpetrated this enormous treachery against the country.”
Khan also claimed that his removal and that of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was deposed by military dictator Ziaul Haq in 1977, shared similarities in that both were forced from office as a result of US opposition to Pakistan’s attempt to pursue an independent foreign policy.
By accusing the current leadership of corruption and attempting to broker a compromise to cover up their sleaze, he also turned his guns on them. Khan also criticised the government for intimidating reporters, especially those who are perceived to support the PTI.