Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday denied claims of an attack against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
“When big leaders are attacked, the whole country suffers. Imran Khan has the same security as when he was the prime minister,” said Sanaullah.
In an interview on Samaa TV programme ‘Nadeem Malik Live’, Rana said: “When we looked into it, there was no truth in these claims.”
However, the minister reiterated that Imran should be arrested and prosecuted for his “extremist views and violence-mongering”.
Sanaullah said there was no possibility of discussion with the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on the withdrawal of the military from tribal areas near the Afghan border, and reversal of the Fata merger, explaining that such demands were against the Constitution.
Sanaullah insisted that the civil and military leadership were on the same page that the TTP militants would not be allowed to take up arms. “Otherwise, we won’t shy away from a fight”.
“The military leadership assured us that we have the capacity and the power to sort these issues out effectively,” the minister added.
To a question about the appointment of the next army chief, the interior minister said a decision in this regard will be taken in October.
Earlier this week, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD)’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) wing has issued a warning that terrorists are planning the assassination of Khan.
