PTI leader and former special assistant to the prime minister for political communication, Dr Shahbaz Gill, received minor injuries along with three other people in a car crash on M-2 Motorway near the Khanqah Dogran interchange, Sheikhupura, on Thursday, a motorway police spokesperson said.

The incident, which Gill later said was an attempt to murder him, occurred when a speeding vehicle struck his car from the rear side.

"The four persons in [Gill’s] car received minor injuries," a motorway police spokesperson said in a statement.

Gill, who is former prime minister Imran Khan’s chief of staff, was travelling to Islamabad from Lahore when the incident happened.

Gill says crash a 'murder attempt'

In a statement on Twitter after the incident, Gill said the car crash was in fact "a murder attempt" on him.

"I want to tell those who attacked me, I am alive because of the Almighty and the prayers of my people. My car was chased and deliberately hit. This was done under a plan."

He recalled his statement from yesterday, saying: "I had said just a day ago that the most you could do is to get us killed. Do it. But, I will not betray [my cause]."

The PTI leader said the "local handlers" — who, according to him, were part of a foreign conspiracy to topple the PTI government — knew that Imran Khan and his associates would not keep mum. "They will make all attempts to silence us."

Gill said he stood with Imran and would remain with him and claimed the same elements would also "attack" Imran.

"God willing, we will expose everyone," he said.