Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan believes assassination attempt will come from government

Imran Khan explains why he does not believe his own government that 'foreign agencies' will responsible for any attempt on his life

Former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan said he believes his life is under threat from his own government.

The ex-cricket star will appear before an Islamabad High Court on Friday to answer charges of illegally selling state gifts he had received during his term as premier and concealing his assets.

Mr Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote last April, told ITV News that he expects an assassination attempt to be made by those who do not want his re-election.

"The government through the Interior Ministry has issued a warning that my life is under threat," he said.

"But they say it is under threat from some 'foreign agencies' - now I am clear who I am under threat from.

Mr Khan believes the eight-hour drive to the Islamabad High Court is an attempt to get him 'exposed'

"It's the same people who tried to assassinate me, the people who are sitting in the government right now."

On November 3 last year, Mr Khan was shot in the leg in what was widely labelled as an assassination attempt.

A gunman opened fire on a campaign truck carrying Mr Khan in the Wazirabad district in the eastern Punjab province, wounding him slightly along with some of his supporters, a senior leader from his party and police said.

He has said the same three people who made the assassination attempt in November also tried to "eliminate" him on March 18, when supporters of Mr Khan clashed violently with police outside the judicial complex in Islamabad.

He singled out three people within the government who are responsible for both attempts, he says.

"The three people who I predicted were going to use the pretext of the religious fanatic to try and kill me," he said.

"I had a very narrow escape when I went to attend my court proceedings on the 18th of March.

"I was very lucky to get out alive - it was just a miracle, it was the perfect death trap.

"So twice they have tried to kill me."

Mr Khan has also taken to his Twitter to warn the world that the "same 3" people will be responsible for any attempt on his life on Friday - not foreign agencies.

"I'm going to have to appear in the Islamabad court which means eight hours I will be on the road - four hours going there, four hours coming back."

"And I feel this is a deliberate attempt, they want to get me out of the house to get me exposed.

"(My) life is in danger because these people realise that whenever there are elections, I will come into power and therefore will have to be eliminated."

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