PM Shehbaz, FM Bilawal defend Asif Ali Zardari against Imran Khan’s ‘dangerous’ accusations

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday lambasted PTI Chairman for leveling scathing allegations against PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

 The former prime minister, in his televised address on Friday, claimed that Asif Zardari had hired a militant group to assassinate him, adding that he was also among the four or five people, who hatched a plot to kill him. His allegations comes as he was recovering from wounds he sustained during a lift attempt on him in Wazirabad last year.

Taking to Twitter, PM Shehbaz said Imran Khan's baseless and dangerous allegations against former President Asif Ali Zardari were not only irresponsible but also conformed to a pattern of conspiracy theories meant to spread venom against his political opponents.

Such nonsensical rhetoric is an attempt to remain politically relevant. The whole nation knows how he has used politics of hatred to divide the society for the sake of power.

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 28, 2023

He further said such nonsensical rhetoric is an attempt to remain politically relevant, adding that whole nation knew how he has used politics of hatred to divide the society for the sake of power.

Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto said after terrorist outfits called himself and PPP out by name in direct threats, Imran has now made false accusations against the former presidents. “These statements increase threats to my father, my family and my part. We take them seriously given our history,” he said.

“We are exploring legal response to Imran latest defamatory & dangerous accusations. In the past he threatened my father that he was ‘in the crosshairs of his gun’. His & his associates history as both sympathizers & facilitators of terrorists are well documented,” he wrote on Twitter.

Bilawal Bhutto reiterated his claimed that Imran Khan released terrorists and arrested democrats when he was in the government. “…he handed over Pakhtunkhwa to terrorist organization, his party funds terrorist groups to this day. All of this will be taken into account if any attack were to take place against myself, my father, or my party,” the foreign minister said.

After terrorist outfits called myself & my party out by name in direct threats, Imran has now made false accusations against my father former president AZ. These statements increase threats to my father, my family and my part. We take them seriously given our history. 1/6

— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) January 28, 2023

“Imran must realize every time his wife has a dream he cannot just come on tv & make accusations about people. Her dreams won’t stand up in court.”

“His latest accusation that my family has any association to a terrorist organization or that we would employ them to cause him harm not only defies logic but exposes us all to an increased threat,” he said.

Bilawal vows to challenge the PTI chief, adding that “populist fiction” would not be allowed to dominate the discourse, and damage Pakistan’s democracy. “We will not tolerate being victims of terrorist & put up with propaganda from their political frontmen,” he concluded.