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Wednesday, April 24, 2024  
15 Shawwal 1445  

Sticking to his guns: Imran says NSC statement vindicates "foreign conspiracy" stance

PTI chief says party told to prepare for Islamabad march, date to be announced soon
PTI chief Imran Khan addressing the media at his residence in Islamabad. Screengrab.
PTI chief Imran Khan addressing the media at his residence in Islamabad. Screengrab.

Sticking to his guns on the "foreign conspiracy" letter, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said that the statement issued after the National Security Committee meeting a day earlier has vindicated his stance.

"It has now been confirmed by the NSC that there was interference," he said in reference to the statement in which it was stated that no evidence was found of a foreign conspiracy to oust Imran Khan.

An earlier meeting of the NSC on March 31, when the PTI government was in power, took notice of meddling in Pakistan's internal affairs without finding any evidence of conspiracy. During the meeting, it was decided to issue a strong demarche to the country responsible. Later, during an address to the nation, Imran named US as the country in an apparent slip of tongue.

"The NSC meeting on Friday made it clear that a cipher was dispatched," said Imran while addressing the media at his Bani Gala residence in Islamabad.

"When I mentioned about the conspiracy, people said it was fake. Now it has been confirmed that the telegram is genuine and written by Pakistan's [then] Ambassador to Washington," he continued.

Ambassador Asad Majeed, who has since completed his tenure, attended the last NSC meeting and briefed participants on the content and context of the "threat letter".

"A sitting prime minister was threatened," said Imran of the letter. "The message [in the letter] was that if Imran Khan was removed, then Pakistan would be forgiven. If Imran isn't removed, then there will be difficulties for Pakistan," he continued. "It reflected pride on the part of the Biden administration."

Since then, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar has stated that the language used by the US government representative in his meeting with Amabassador Majeed not diplomatic.

"I knew that most people are part of the conspiracy unknowingly," he said. "But those in London were at the helm of it," he added in an apparent reference to Nawaz Sharif.

Imran said that he was aware of such efforts that were afoot since January, adding that the no-confidence motion was filed a day after a US government representative met Asad Majeed and communicated the alleged threat.

"The conspirators knew who would come to power next after Imran's ouster," he claimed, adding that this was the reason the PDM leadership supported the conspiracy.

During his media talk, he also called for investigating "turncoats" while referring to PTI's defecting lawmakers.

"When investigations open, we would get to know why embassies were meeting the turncoats," he said.

"I am surprised that both the Supreme Court and Election Commission have now shown any urgency to act against turncoats," he continued.

He also claimed that the chief election commissioner's partiality was in question and demanded that he step down.

Imran added that Pervez Musharraf had catipulated when faced with a similar threat from the US.

Islamabad march

The ousted premier vowed to continue to agitate against his government's ouster and the new regime, promising another big turnout in Islamabad after massive public gatherings in Karachi and Lahore.

"I have told party workers to prepare for the march to Islamabad and start work on the ground level," he said, adding that the date of the march would be announced later.

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Pakistan

imran khan

National Security Committee

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