Charge Shahbaz Gill if guilty of going against law: Imran Khan

In a televised address on Wednesday, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that Shahbaz Gill should be given a chance to clarify himself in court.

“Shahbaz Gill should be charged if he has said anything that goes against the law,” said Khan, defending his party member and claiming that his driver was attacked and his vehicle’s glass was smashed.

During his address to PTI supporters via video link, Khan slammed the coalition government for conspiring against his party.

“They [government] had issues with the fact that the army and the PTI were on the same page. Even India used to acknowledge that," Khan said.

The former premier claimed that Israel and India were “overjoyed” after his ouster in the wake of the regime change conspiracy.

Khan added that PTI’s social media wing, largely comprised of youth, exposed disinformation campaigns against the country.

“The EU DisinfoLab exposed how India had been plotting against Pakistan, and those in the current government were also part of the disinformation campaign against the country,” the PTI chief alleged.

Commenting on the foreign funding case, Khan claimed that there was no substance therein.

“PTI has held political fundraisings. We have provided the names of 40,000 donors to ECP, who are now being termed foreigners by ECP,” he complained, adding that his party has provided every detail to the commission.

Targeting other political parties of hiding their funding sources, Khan said that corrupt parties can never raise funds.

“People gave us donations and we have audit books to prove that, while other political parties have no evidence to show how they received funds,” he remarked, commenting that these parties have nothing to prove how they get their funds.

The former premier termed the ECP’s report “fake” and said that the commission was biased against PTI as it only investigated his party despite a court order.

“They [government] tried to technically knock us out by collaborating with ECP,” he claimed.

ECP also said that the commission was on the government’s side during the by-elections. “All their plans failed during the by-elections,” he commented, adding that they [government] were sure to win the elections but the nation decided to go against them.

He accused the government to have campaigned to pit the PTI against the army. PTI chairman said that doing so was “extremely dangerous” for the country.

“Today, it’s being said that we are against the army and now they’ve [the government leaders] become the patriots who are calling us traitors," he said, adding that he cares about Pakistan, and those who care about the country want their army to be strong.

“They tried to break our party,” he said, claiming that foreign elements toppled his government because they did not want to see a strong Pakistan.

“Those conspiring against the PTI are a part of an external conspiracy,” he added.

He also revealed that the party leaders were receiving threats from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The former premier said that the only way to take the country out of the crisis was through free and fair elections.

While addressing the Toshakhana controversy, Khan said the ruling coalition had merely tried to malign his reputation through the reference.

“They are just trying to trap me in a case and instil fear so that no one listens to my point of view,” he said.

“Everyone has received gifts and should be investigated. Asif Ali Zardari took three cars from the Toshakhana, while Nawaz Sharif took one,” he revealed, claiming that he only took the Toshakhana gifts after “completing all legal formalities”.