PTI chairman gestures to newsmen at a presser in Peshawar. ? Geo News screengrab

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Thursday claimed that India considers Nawaz Sharif its ally and is concerned for his possible ouster.

The statement was based on a report in India's English-language daily, Times of India, stating that PM Sharif's loss may strengthen (Pakistani) army, which has India worried. The article said it would create "new security complications for India".

Speaking to media in Peshawar, Khan quoted the article published in the Indian daily and claimed, "India fears for the loss of its ally". He said ethics are true spirit of democracy and prime ministers, all over the world, step down for speaking a mere lie.

Referring to Maulana Fazlur Rahman, the PTI chairman said the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazli chief was backing PM for the sake of money.

He also spoke of his party-led government's efforts for improving health facilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khan said the system of public hospitals in KP was functioning rightly and that they were intended to improve it. "We have recruited another 6500 doctors and now 95 per cent district hospitals have a doctor."

He said the provincial health budget was increased from Rs18 billion to Rs65 billion.

The PTI chairman termed health card as their major success. "We started off with 1.8 million families and soon the health cards will be available to 70 per cent population of the province."