Lahore: A year after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan was ousted from power, he said “Conspiracy” for his removal was hatched by local players in Pakistan and not in United States.

“On this day last year, I left Prime Minister’s House with my diary and there was conspiracy behind ouster of my government,” Imran said in video address to his supporters from his Zaman Park residence. In today’s address, ex-PM said he was told by head of Middle East country that “Efforts are being made to remove you from power and your Army Chief is not happy with you”.

He claimed that General (retd) Bajwa brought incumbent PM Shehbaz Sharif into power and also saved him from corruption cases under plot to topple his government.

آج سے ایک سال پہلے میں اپنی ڈائری اٹھا کر وزیراعظم ہاؤس سے نکلا لیکن میری حکومت گرانے کے پیچھے ایک بہت بڑی سازش تھی۔ عمران خان #امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/GXUcXZGHmm

— PTI (@PTIofficial) April 9, 2023

Imran Khan asserted that ‘conspiracy’ for his ouster was not initiated from US, as they had previously believed, but rather it was planned by local players and former Pakistan envoy to US Hussain Haqqani hired to label him as anti-American and promote General Bajwa.

Comparing his government’s performance with PDM regime, Imran said country’s economy had been destroyed by incumbent rulers since his ouster from power. No country in world has experienced revolution comparable to one brought by Prophet (PBUH). He cited Battle of Badr and Khalid Bin Waleed leadership as proof that only free people, not slaves, stand for freedom.

Imran said that for first time in 17 years, country’s economy witnessed growth rate of 6 percent and most money was invested in agriculture sector. “During our time, inflation was 12 percent and now it is at 35 percent,” he said. Criticising PML-N government for runaway inflation, Imran said that 20kg bag of flour was available at Rs 1,200 during his tenure which is now being sold at Rs 2,800. Moreover, he claimed that media never enjoyed “So much freedom” in history of country as it had during his time in power. “Current rulers removed their names from exit control list (ECL) and later destroyed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). FIA was tasked to lodge cases against PTI and now, overall 144 cases including 40 terrorism cases were lodged against me.”

“Sedition case was filed against Ali Amin Gandapur. Government was bound to give me security but it failed. They issued warrant for Bani Gala’s residence and DIG raided Zaman Park. They tried to assassinate me like Salman Taseer.” He alleged that joint investigation team was sabotaged after gun attack and later they attacked residence. “They wanted to kill me like Murtaza Bhutto.”

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 10 2023

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