LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan alleged on Saturday that government officials affiliated with the provincial government of Punjab are involved in campaigning against his party and intimidating his party workers before the upcoming by-polls for NA-122 and NA-154.

Imran Khan made these claims while addressing a press conference in Lahore.

“Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Superintendent of Police (SP) Umar Virk is involved in campaigning against PTI, and is performing these services for the incumbent government in Punjab,” alleged Khan.

The PTI chief also claimed that Umar Virk is involved in threatening his party workers, and is encouraging criminal elements to intimidate his workers, in order to stop them from performing their party duties in light of the upcoming by-polls in Lahore.

Imran, during his press conference further alleged that he has evidence that Virk also threatened Ghaffar Gujjar, a PTI worker who was recently shot, on the phone two days before he was attacked.

“The government of Punjab under PML-N is using the provincial police as its enforcers and thugs, and are using them to influence the upcoming by-polls in the province,” added the PTI chief.

“We also have video evidence that a District Police Officer (DPO) is campaigning for PML-N in Hafizabad.”

Imran Khan said that his party will contact the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the Inspector-General (IG) of Punjab police to initiate legal proceedings against the individuals involved in intimidation and harassment of his party workers.

Imran Khan also said that he would extensively campaign in support of his party’s candidates in NA-122 and NA-154.

Read: PTI to hold sit-in on October 4 if ECP members do not resign: Imran

“I visited the constituency of NA-122 today and the response was very favourable, and the people of the constituencies support PTI,” stated the PTI chief.

“I will give my total support to Aleem Khan in NA-122, as we want to make a point and defeat rigging,” added Imran.

He further added that he is already a member of the National Assembly and won from three different constituencies, but he had asked ECP to investigate rigging in NA-122 as he wanted the people to see it.

The PTI chief once again reiterated his demand for the deployment of Pakistan Army during the by-polls and said "I do not trust the provincial police of Punjab to perform their election duties in an honest manner."

Imran Khan had announced earlier to hold a sit-in in front of ECP in Islamabad if its members do not tender their resignations by October 4.

The ECP on August 22 had de-notified National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq after receiving a copy of the decision announced by Punjab election commission's tribunal.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had defeated PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the 2013 general elections from NA-122 after which PTI had challenged the results.