Pak: Imran Khan says plan hatched to crush his party

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 10 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Wednesday accused the country's coalition government led by PM Shehbaz Sharif of devising a plan to crush his party.
"They have prepared a plan to crush the PTI," the PTI chairman was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper in an address to his party supporters.
This statement comes as PTI leader and close aide of former Pakistan Prime Minister, Shahbaz Gill was arrested in Islamabad on Tuesday.
A day after Gill was arrested in a treason case, an Islamabad court approved a two-day physical remand for him. Gill was arrested on charges of colluding with a private TV news channel in carrying out propaganda against the state.
Speaking via video link, the former Pakistan PM said that a "frightening conspiracy" was being devised to present "Pakistan's biggest political party and the army as opponents".
"Let me tell you [...] this plot is extremely dangerous and can damage the country," he said, and added that "This Sharifs and Zardaris who are calling us traitors today went on international platforms and gave interviews against the army."
The PTI chief said, "Today, it's being said that we are against the army and now they've become the patriots who are calling us traitors."
Echoing what Imran said, senior PTI member Asad Umar also accused the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government of trying to create a rift between Imran Khan's party and the country's Army.
Lambasting the ruling coalition during a press conference in Lahore, Umar said that cases are being filed against PTI in a manner as if it is a threat to Pakistan, adding that foreign powers have a habit of dictating Pakistan.
The senior PTI leader said it was a historic turnaround that the people had taken to the streets and rejected foreign interference as they saw Imran as their "hope".
Umar further said a "condemnable" tweet was posted from a Twitter account that merely had 50 followers, and it was played up by accounts with a huge following with malicious intent.
Earlier, Imran Khan's PTI announced that it will now hold its "Haqeeqi Azadi jalsa" rally in Lahore. He also announced a strategy to counter what he described as state "fascism".
Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah warned the PTI of "dire consequences" if its workers disrupted law and order or resorted to violence during the party's rally. (ANI)