Pakistan's Defence Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif claimed that former Prime Minister and PTI chief Imran Khan represented a "bigger threat" to the nation than India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking to an anchor on Pakistan's Geo News, Asif said, "Your foreign enemy is known to you. In Pakistan, the people are still unable to identify the enemy who lives as one among us and is a bigger threat to us than the enemy from that nation (India)."
When the anchor sought to make sure that he had understood the defence minister right, Asif reiterated, "Imran Khan is far more dangerous for Pakistan than Narendra Modi is and our people are not seeing this. Who is more dangerous? The one who is among us or the one standing opposite, on the other side?"
Asif said that the violent protests across Pakistan in response to Imran Khan's arrest on May 9 were a "bagawat" (mutiny).
On May 09, PTI supporters stormed Pakistan's security establishments, including the Pakistan Army headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi and the Corps Commander's residence in Lahore.
Asif claimed, "The enemy within (Imran Khan) is actually a bigger threat to our security and May 9 is evidence for the same. It was a rebellion. It was a mutiny. I've said this before on your channel here".
As the country's security establishment continues its crackdown on the PTI and senior leaders exit the party, ostensibly under pressure and fearing for their safety, the government on Friday urged media houses to refrain from publishing or broadcasting Khan's speeches, statements, tweets and/or pictures.