Imran Khan not to physically attend NA by-poll campaign rallies

• PTI has devised a strategy in view of threats to Imran Khan's life.
• Imran Khan will not physically address election rallies.
• He will address public rallies via video link.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has decided not to personally participate in public gatherings being held in connection with the by-elections for the National Assembly seats.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to conduct by-elections for the National Assembly seats vacated by the PTI's lawmakers. The PTI members had resigned from their NA seats following the no-confidence move that toppled Imran Khan from the premiership last April.

The ECP has scheduled the election for the NA by-polls in March.

The decision of the PTI's senior leadership that Imran will not physically appear at the public meetings was made mainly due to the threat to his life. Khan was shot in the leg on December 3 as he waved to crowds from a truck-mounted container while leading a protest march in Wazirabad to Islamabad to pressure the government into announcing an early election. However, his party's march was cut short in Rawalpindi.

During a virtual press conference on January 27, Khan also accused PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari of hatching and financing an assassination plot against him for which the PPP stalwart had hired terrorists. The former president sent a Rs10 billion legal notice to Khan on January 30 for levelling the baseless allegations.

Several political leaders, including ones from the coalition parties, have called for an independent investigation into his allegations.

The PTI chief will address the election campaign meetings through video link, per the strategy hammered out by the senior leadership of the party.