ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan threatened on Monday to launch protests if the government tried to attack the Supreme Court or the chief justice on the pretext of saving democracy or parliament in a bid to hide its corruption.

'The government appears to be planning to take on the judiciary in coming days after finding itself in a blind alley, Mr Khan told a news conference after a meeting with the leaders of Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen.

'I want to warn them (rulers) that my party will react very strongly if they resort to adventurism against the judiciary,' he said.

Referring to behind-thescenes meetings between the PPP and the PML-N on the political situation, he said national economy had been devastated but leaders of these parties continued to mislead the nation.

He said Sharia could beenforced in the country only if it was demanded by a majority through a democratic process and not by using force.

Without naming JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, he said he did not believe in doing politics in the name of Islam like a 'maulana' had been doing while remaining part of every government.

'Islam is the name of humanity, equality and justice.

Mr Khan said the country's foreign policy should be independent and in the interest of its people, adding that if the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project was in the national interest the government should go ahead with it.

About growing demand for new provinces, he said some politicians had indulged in point scoring while Balochistan was being ruled like a colony.

'A large number of politicians belonging to various parties are in line to join the PTI, but I want the party to first consolidate its alreadyachieved 'gains' before accepting them into the party fold,' Mr Khan said.

In reply to a question about the government's decision not to write a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen cases against President Asif Zardari as ordered by the Supreme Court, he said if a letter cannot be written to Swiss authorities to bring the president's ill-gotten money back to the country then there was no justification to keep in prison 150,000 people involved in various crimes and frauds.

Mr Khan said if his party came to power it would adopt the model of a welfare state like in Scandinavian countries. 'This model is close to the concept of an Islamic welfare state.

In reply to a question about Mr Zardari's allegation that he had misused the cancer hospital's funds for his party, the PTI chief threatened to take the matter to the court if the president did not 'apologise for the baseless allegation'.