PTI founder Imran Khan has alleged that the incumbent prime minister can also be at risk of abduction if ousted and the “Plan B” was implemented. He did not explain the plan and who else was kidnapped.

“Current priorities have shifted to dismantling the largest political party in the country,” he told reporters in an informal conversation on Thursday at the Adiala Jail.

The incarcerated former prime minister has claimed that he has been jailed in politically motivated cases and denied all allegations. He has also accused the government of crackdown on his party and supporters.

Khan was whisked away by law enforcement agencies from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in a graft case on May 9, 2023, leading to violent protests in the country.

He has made several claims in the recent past without presenting substantial evidence. The former prime minister, who alleges he was ousted via former army chief support, slammed the arrest of his party workers.

On Thursday, Khan denied claims that he had instructed any of the hidden leaders to come out and emphasised that those might face abduction. He directed his leaders, who were hiding, to remain out of public view for their safety.

The former prime minister highlighted the “alarming situation” that PTI members are facing, citing the abduction of key figures, including the party’s president in Lahore and two brothers of Azhar Mashwani. He also claimed that even a jail deputy superintendent was reportedly abducted, with police alleging he fled with a woman.

He alleged that the government was conspiring with Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa to undermine the party’s electoral mandate. He claimed that the CJP has been blocking the opening of constituencies for the past six to seven months, asserting that once he completes his tenure, four constituencies would open up, leading to the government’s collapse.

Khan criticised the current administration, stating that the country has been turned into a ‘banana republic’ where citizens no longer trust their rulers. He dismissed claims that terrorism in Pakistan was a result of PTI’s actions, reminding that his party had previously engaged with the Afghan government to negotiate against the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He noted that former spymaster Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed had briefed the opposition on such plans, which were “derailed following the removal of Hameed in October at the request of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.”

Khan addressed the issue of cross-border terrorism, stating that labelling PTI as responsible for such violence was “misleading.” He emphasised that Pakistan has raised the issue internationally and questioned whether the government holds PTI accountable for the terrorism occurring in Balochistan.

He expressed concern over the growing discontent among the Baloch community, calling it a “dangerous situation. Khan condemned all forms of terrorism and added that the establishment was being blamed for the rise in violence, including street crime and attacks in the riverine region.

“In Balochistan, there are individuals causing unrest without any local support, merely making money from the situation.”

He stated that during his tenure, intelligence agencies were “focused on countering terrorism, contributing to a decrease in such incidents.” In contrast, he alleged that priorities have shifted to “dismantling the largest political party” in the country.

He went on to claim that there was no terrorism during his time in office, despite the Afghan government being opposed to Pakistan. He expressed concern over the street crime in the country, stating that such incidents have reached unprecedented levels.

The former prime minister was of the view that the eradication of terrorism by the outlawed TTP could not occur without cooperation from the Afghan government. He noted that Pakistan shares a 2,500-kilometre border with Afghanistan and if the banned terrorist group was pushed out, they would simply cross over.

He criticised the previous Afghan leadership, particularly Ashraf Ghani, for its anti-Pakistan stance, questioning why former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari did not visit Afghanistan during his tenure.

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Efforts to repatriate Afghan refugees did not eliminate terrorism; instead, it exacerbated existing tensions, Khan said.

Khan urged the government to return the “electoral mandate” to the people, asserting that peace comes through transparent elections. He cited India’s recent elections, where 700 million votes were cast without objections and advocated for the introduction of electronic voting machines in Pakistan, which he claimed were blocked by the former army chief, the ECP, and the PPP.

He announced a rally in Islamabad on September 8 and urged the people to take to the streets and not tolerate any obstacles to their participation.