Pakistan's outgoing Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday called for a probe to establish the veracity of a US media report which claims to corroborate ousted PM Imran Khan's claims that the US hatched a conspiracy to remove him from power.
Notably, a report by The Intercept claimed that the US was a key player in Khan's ouster, and that the decision was taken in view of Khan's closeness with Russia at a time when President Vladimir Putin was about to attack a so-called "special military operation" on Ukraine.
Speaking on the report, Sanaullah said, "Though there is nothing new in this story, the investigation needs to held to establish the authenticity of the information or source document." The report came at the time when Pakistan's National Assembly was dissolved to pave the way for a caretaker government.
"Potentially, it is a very sinister, treacherous and seditious act. It should not be forgotten that Imran Khan Niazi had a copy of the cypher, which he has not returned and has accepted (on record) that he misplaced or lost it. If proven guilty, Khan should be tried under the Official Secret Act," Sanaullah further tweeted.
On March 27, the ousted premier had waved the "letter" at a public rally saying a foreign conspiracy was afoot to oust him. He had sought to link the opposition's no-confidence motion with a "foreign-funded" move to topple his government.
The text of the Pakistani cable, known as "cypher", produced from the meeting by the ambassador and transmitted to Pakistan has revealed the methods used by the US State Department in its push against Imran Khan, promising warmer ties with Islamabad if Imran Khan was removed, and isolation if he was not, The Intercept reported.
Shehbaz Sharif rubbishes claims
During an interview, outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif rubbished the conspiracy claims, saying that he had held two meetings of the National Security Committee, one involving foreign secretary Asad Majeed Khan, who did not mention any 'conspiracy' in the cypher.
He also asserted that then Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other chiefs of services had agreed that US did not play a role in conspiring against Khan. "Secondly, Imran Niazi said that this conspiracy was hatched because his relations with Russia were flourishing. So, we [Shehbaz-led government] purchased cheaper oil from Russia. If, God forbids, this government was formed under a US conspiracy, then how could we get oil from Russia," he added.
"If god forbid this government had come from a US conspiracy, then it would have been a moment of shame for us. If the contents of the cipher are published (in the international newspaper), and are true, then it is a massive crime," he added.
The 71-year-old Sharif further mentioned that Imran Khan had retracted his statement about the US conspiracy by saying that America did not conspire against him.
'Secret' document
Citing "classified documents", the report said the plan was set up on March 7, 2022, when two US State Department officials including Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu with Asad Majeed Khan, was then-Pakistan’s ambassador to the US.
An anonymous source in the Pakistani military provided a 'secret' document to The Intercept, which says that the US has raised objections to the foreign policy of Imran Khan over the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The stance taken by Imran Khan over Ukraine was quickly reversed post his removal from office.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman's visit to Russia had apparently angered the US. On March 2, 2022, just days before the meeting, Lu had been questioned at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing over the neutral stance taken by Pakistan and other nations on the Ukraine conflict.
Responding to the question from Senator Chris Van Hollen, Lu said, “Prime Minister Khan has recently visited Moscow, and so I think we are trying to figure out how to engage specifically with the Prime Minister following that decision," The Intercept reported.
A day before the meeting, Khan, addressing a rally, said, "Are we your slaves?” He asked, "What do you think of us? That we are your slaves and that we will do whatever you ask of us?" In his remarks, the then-Pakistan PM said, "We are friends of Russia, and we are also friends of the United States. We are friends of China and Europe. We are not part of any alliance."
Following this, the report claimed US displeasure over the then-premier's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. On the issue of the no-confidence vote, The Intercept quoted Donald Lu as saying, "I think if the no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister succeeds, all will be forgiven in Washington because the Russia visit is being looked at as a decision by the Prime Minister."
Asked about Lu's quotes in the Pakistani cable, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “Nothing in these purported comments shows the United States taking a position on who the leader of Pakistan should be.” Miller, however, said he would not react to private diplomatic discussions.
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