Imprisoned former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan has expressed concerns about a potential attempt on his life through "slow poisoning" while in jail due to his refusal to leave the country. Khan, who is currently incarcerated in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi as part of the Cipher case, conveyed his apprehensions through a message shared by his family and posted on his X account.
Khan, aged 71, addressed the issue by stating that his refusal to leave Pakistan puts him at risk of another assassination attempt, potentially through a method like slow poisoning. He emphasized his physical well-being at present, noting that he would detect any changes indicative of weakness in his body. Khan asserted that there have already been two previous public attempts on his life.
This statement by Khan was made on the same day when a Pakistani court dismissed his petitions for bail and the cancellation of the initial FIR in the cipher case. Khan's arrest in August followed a case filed against him for revealing a confidential diplomatic cable (cipher) sent by the country's embassy in Washington in March of the previous year. A special court in Pakistan recently indicted him in the case, along with his close ally and former foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Characterizing all the cases against him as "bogus and politically motivated," Khan claimed that these cases were fabricated with the intention of keeping him imprisoned, at least until after the elections, or possibly even longer. He accused his political opponents, particularly the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif, of conspiring against him and undermining the country's justice system.
According to Khan, the ongoing political developments in Pakistan are the result of what he referred to as a "London plan," alluding to the return of Sharif to Pakistan after four years of self-exile in London. Khan suggested that Sharif's return and his potential reentry into politics were part of an agreement that would require compromising state institutions. Consequently, Khan contended that Pakistan is witnessing a collapse of its justice system.
Khan also conveyed his belief that the increasing political awareness and resistance to behind-the-scenes conspiracies within Pakistan are unsettling to certain quarters. He urged his supporters to fight for their rights and the country's freedom, directing his lawyers and party officials to organize conventions across the nation and initiate a campaign for future elections.
This statement by Khan follows an earlier assertion made on May 2, in which he informed the Lahore High Court of a third assassination attempt against him and called for the dismissal of all political cases, expressing concerns that his regular court appearances could jeopardize his life. This statement came after a gun attack on his rally in the Wazirabad area on November 3, 2022, in which he sustained bullet injuries to his leg.
