In shocking revelations, a person insisting to be a member of the PML-N has claimed that former prime minister and party supremo Nawaz Sharif had discussed assassination plots of slain journalist Arshad Sharif and PTI Chairman Imran Khan with him.
Speaking to the Pakistani media reportedly in London, the purported member of the ruling party claimed that he has been a spokesperson for the party for the last five years in London.
He claimed that he was part of the meetings with the PML-N leadership in London wherein he alleged that assassination plots were hatched to eliminate Arshad Sharif and Imran Khan before the appointment of the next army chief.
“I held meetings with Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. The first meeting took place on July 8 and then on September 20. Another meeting took place on October 29,” he claimed but refused to reveal the names of other persons present in the huddle.
Responding to a question as to why Nawaz sought his help for alleged assassination plots, Shah said: “Nasir Butt introduced me to Nawaz Sharif, saying that he [Tasneem Haider Shah] is an influential person of Gujrat and they have shooters and are capable of executing [assassination plots]”.
He further alleged that ex-PM Nawaz had asked him to provide shooters to attack Imran in Wazirabad, where the former premier survived an assassination attempt on November 3.
In a statement, PML-N leader and Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb disowned the self-professed party member, saying Tasneem Haider is not the spokesperson of the PML-N London chapter.
“Tasneem Haider has no relation with the PML-N. If he has evidence then present it before the JIT [joint investigation team]. No one should try to become party spokesperson by force,” she added in the statement.
She added that one of the persons in the media talks is the organiser of the PTI London chapter.
“Forgery, lies and fake news cannot divert attention from the real killers of Arshad Sharif,” she added.
In a statement, Punjab interior adviser Umar Sarfaraz Cheema said the authorities have contacted Tasneem Haider Shah and included him in the investigation into the assassination attempt on former PM Imran.
Cheema also said the central, provincial and district leadership of PML-N will also be questioned regarding the Wazirabad gun attack following revelations of the self-confessed PML-N leader.
“The scope of the Wazirabad incident investigation has been widened,” he added.
Former prime minister Imran sustained bullet wounds to his leg after an armed attack on his container during the PT ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ in Wazirabad on November 3.
One person died in the incident, while several members of the PTI chairman’s close circle, including Senator Faisal Javaid, former Sindh governor Imran Ismail, Ahmad Chattha and Imran Yousaf, were injured, according to PTI sources.
The PTI chairman has accused three people – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and a senior military officer, of plotting the botched assassination attempt on his life.
Imran had also provided details of the attack on him in Wazirabad, saying that there were two shooters. “I was on the container when a “burst of bullets” was directed at me. I got shot in the leg and fell down,” he had said.
“Then a second burst came, there were two people,” he said, adding if the two burst were synchronised, he would not have survived.
