World News | Imran Claims He Could Be Targeted During Court Depositions, Requests Chief Justice to Allow Him to Appear Virtually

Lahore, Mar 21 (PTI) Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan has requested the country's chief justice to allow him to join court proceedings through a video link in cases lodged against him, claiming he could be killed if he deposes physically.

In a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Atta Bandial on Monday, the embattled PTI chief also urged him to club the cases registered against him.

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"A death trap was laid out at the Federal Judicial Complex, Islamabad on Saturday last where I had to attend a hearing in the Toshakhana gifts case. Some 20 namaloom afraad (unknown people) -- a reference to intelligence agencies men -- were present in the complex to kill me," Khan said during an address to the nation on Monday.

He also played a video which showed the purported suspects in plainclothes present in the judicial complex carrying plastic handcuffs.

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Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) alleged these men planned to strangulate Khan with the rope they were holding.

The PTI chief requested the CJP to investigate as how these 20 or so "unknown people" managed to enter the high security zone (judicial complex). "In fact they were stationed there to kill me."

"if I keep being exposed like this then it won't take too long for them to kill me," Khan said.

Referring to social media trends in Pakistan against the army leadership, Khan said, "Attempts are being made to pit my party against the army and at the same time the PMLN-led coalition government is trying its best to turn the army against me and PTI."

There had been clashes between the law-enforcement agencies and PTI workers in Lahore and Islamabad during court appearances and attempt to arrest Imran Khan over the past one week.

Scores of PTI workers and policemen have been injured in these clashes. Police have arrested more than 300 PTI workers from Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad and slapped terrorism charges on them.

The cricketer-turned-politician has also been booked in close to 100 cases facing charges like terrorism, murder, blasphemy, attempted murder and treason.

All these cases have been instituted against Khan during the last 11 months when the PMLN-led government came to power after ousting him through a vote of no confidence.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)