Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said Friday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan was himself to blame for the attempt on his life as he ignored threats and failed to take the security situation seriously.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the country’s security head said it was irresponsible of the PTI leadership to make allegations without any supporting evidence. In a widely shared media post, first by PTI Asad Umar and later the PTI Twitter account posted a message from Imran Khan naming three individuals, including PM Shehbaz Sharif and the interior minister.

“The accusations are baseless. Such things should not have been said without any proof whatsoever,” the minister said.

He added that the main takeaway from Asad Umar’s statement was that Imran Khan did not seem to be taking his security seriously. He said that Umar’s statement made it clear that the PTI chairman had ignored threats to continue the long march.

“We have no problem with the long march entering Islamabad, nor did we aim to stop it. Our concern was with stopping about incidents.”

Sanaullah said the alleged attacker had made some serious and disconcerting allegations against the PTI chairman in the ‘confession’ that was leaked on media.

In one of his statements, the alleged shooter, identified as Naveed, said that he attacked Imran Khan because the PTI chief’s statements had hurt his religious sentiments. “It was unbearable for me,” the shooter said.

In the first ‘confessional’ statement, recorded in a police station and also leaked to the media, the shooter says that he attacked the container because music was being played during the azaan (the call to prayer). Rana Sanaullah said that it was ‘a good thing’ that the shooter’s statement has been recorded and seen by people.

Responding to a question about whether PML-N leaders would visit Imran Khan in hospital, the minister said that Nawaz Sharif visited Imran when he was injured in 2013. “If the environment permits it, party leaders will visit him again. But it is difficult, now that they have blamed us,” Rana Sanaullah said.

Imran Khan is still hospitalised but stable according to reports. Investigations are underway with Punjab’s Counter Terrorism Department also being engaged.