EX-PM Khan’s security beefed up over deadly plot claims

Pakistan beefed up security around former prime minister Imran Khan on Monday, the interior ministry said, two days after he had claimed at a rally in eastern Punjab province that there was a plot to assassinate him.

The ministry said in a statement that dozens of policemen, along with paramilitary troops, have been assigned to Khan’s Islamabad residence.

Security forces would also escort Khan whenever he leaves Islamabad for any part of the country, the ministry said. In his speech at the rally in the city of Sialkot on Saturday, Khan did not elaborate on the alleged plot against him but claimed he had recorded a video message detailing it all.

Khan’s supporters have held rallies across the country since last month, when he was ousted by the opposition through a noconfidence vote in the National Assembly. He was replaced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharif on Monday also ordered maximum security arrangements for Khan, according to a separate government statement. Sharif was given a detailed briefing by the Interior Ministry on the security of the former prime minister.

Sharif ordered deployment of a chief security officer with the former prime minister. In addition, he also directed all the provincial governments to provide security to the former premier during his political rallies.

An interior ministry spokesperson said 94 personnel of police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) have been deployed at Khan’s Banigala House in Islamabad. Out of them, 22 were from Islamabad police while 72 from the FC.

In addition, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police have also deployed 36 personnel while six personnel from the Gilgit Baltistan police have been deployed. — agencies