Khan tells of assassination fears in speech from bulletproof box
IMRAN KHAN addressed tens of thousands of supporters from a bulletproof box yesterday in his first rally since the former prime minister of Pakistan was shot in an attempted assassination.
Speaking in Lahore, Mr Khan said the military was trying to sabotage his political comeback and said its meddling is pushing the country to the brink of economic disaster.
He also renewed appeals for early elections, despite fears that he is risking his life.
Mr Khan told The Daily Telegraph before the rally, that leaving his house has become a game of “Russian roulette”, with the threat of assassination still looming.
The 70-year-old, who is riding a wave of public support, said the country’s allpowerful military and intelligence agencies would rather see him dead than return as leader in the autumn.
“The establishment is petrified of me winning elections, hence they will try and eliminate me. The government should provide security for me when I leave the house but they haven’t done this,” said Mr Khan.
“I have had to get my own security team and follow a security code but it is a Russian roulette. God knows, when I go out, I am vulnerable.”
Mr Khan was removed from power last April in a no-confidence vote. His party claims it was the result of illegal political horse trading.
In November, he survived an assassination attempt after being shot four times in the legs.
The polls suggest Mr Khan is on course to win any election. A Gallup poll last week put his approval rating at 62 per cent. Shehbaz Sharif, the current prime minister, is on 32 per cent.