Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday slammed his predecessor Imran Khan for what he described as a "disgusting smear campaign" against Army chief General Asim Munir launched at the behest of the cricketer-turned-politician.
"PTI's disgusting smear campaign against Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir at the behest of Imran Niazi is deserving of the strongest condemnation," Sharif wrote on Twitter. "This man Niazi is stooping to unprecedented lows in his desperation for power and going to the extent of damaging the country and undermining our armed forces and their leadership."
Earlier Sharif's office issued a strongly-worded statement condemning the "intolerable campaign" against Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) overseas before urging Pakistani nationals to voice their opposition on such matters.
"The campaign against the army chief is intolerable and a continuation of the conspiracy against the institutions," a statement from the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office (PMO) read.
The Pakistani PM has requested interior minister Rana Sanaullah to take strict action against anyone who is instigating people to take to the streets against state institutions.
Sharif's scathing remarks against Khan came a day after scores of Pakistani Americans protested at the gates of the White House in Washington, demanding the Sharif-led government stop legal proceedings against Khan.
Khan and the Pakistani security agencies waged pitched battles on the streets of Lahore and Islamabad last week after police went to arrest him following a court order.
On Monday, the Pakistan police cracked down on his supporters who unleashed arson during the previous week's clashes with the authorities, arresting hundreds of his party members from the two cities.