'We don't have explosives or suicide jacket': PTI MNA retracts suicide attack threat

• PTI MNA Ataullah Niazi issues clarification over his threat to carry out a suicide attack.
• Says whatever he said was about Imran Khan's possible arrest and loss it would cause.
• Says he meant PTI members will not think about themselves if govt forces them.

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After issuing a threat to carry out a suicide attack in case anything happens to former prime minister Imran Khan, PTI MNA Advocate Attaullah Niazi has now retracted his statement, saying that "we don't have any explosives or suicide jacket."

In a video making the rounds on social media, Niazi said that whatever he said was about Imran Khan's possible arrest and the loss it would cause.

"What I said was that we'll burn all our boats and will not think about ourselves after it if you [government] force us," the MNA said.

"God forbids we don't have any explosive material or suicide jackets, so you take it wrong and say that they [PTI members] are about to carry out a suicide attack."

Niazi further stated while addressing Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that it is their government and the PTI supporters that have burned all their boats.

Niazi on Monday threatened the coalition government that he "would carry out a suicide attack" in case something happens to PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

In a video statement, Attaullah said that if those ruling the country tried to hurt Khan, he would not spare them nor their children.

"There are thousands of other suicide bombers, like me, ready to blow themselves up [if anything happens to Khan]," he added.

'I'm responsible if PTI MNAs tried to take their lives: Sanaullah

Reacting to Niazi's threat, Rana Sanaulllah sarcastically said that he would "take responsibility" if any of the MNAs tried to take their own lives.

"We can arrest 15 PTI members by booking each one of them in case of possessing 5kg Heroin if we want," Sanaullah said while speaking in Geo News' programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada kay sath.

However, he added that the government would stoop so low.

PTI warns of 'strong backlash' if Imran Khan is arrested

Following Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah's warning that the PTI chairman would possibly be arrested upon the expiry of his bail, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said that if Khan was taken into custody, it would prompt a "strong backlash" from party workers.

"The PTI will retaliate in a strong manner if Imran Khan is arrested. And if PTI workers receive news of Khan’s arrest, they should come up with a quick response to it," said Qureshi.

A day prior, Sanaullah said that the decision to deploy security officials at Bani Gala to guard former prime minister Imran was made as per the law, however, once his bail expires, the same "security officials" will arrest him.