Former information minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday that Pakistan's progress was directly dependent on its army, adding that the government's efforts to “create a divide” between his party chairman Imran Khan and the military were "absurd," Aaj News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Fawad said the PTI chairman wants the country’s army to strengthen, stressing that Imran Khan had always worked for the prosperity of the country.

“Whatever Imran Khan has done for the country, it is for the public and Pakistan’s public and army are not separate […] the army is a part of the people,” he said.

Efforts to bring PTI, army at loggerheads part of regime change conspiracy, alleges Imran Khan

Fawad stated that a new era of atrocities and barbarism had begun under the incumbent government as women and children were being picked up.

“But this can’t happen because the people will only accept those who they elect, not those who are imposed,” he added.

Fawad's remarks come a day after PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that efforts were underway to drive a wedge between his political party and the Pakistan Army as part of the US-backed regime change conspiracy.

Imran said that the regime change conspiracy has not ended yet, adding that the "second phase of the conspiracy has just started."

The former premier warned that the current political situation was going to get even worse, and the only option to come out of this crisis was to hold free and fair elections.