The US State Department and White House jointly rejected Prime Minister Imran Khan’s assertion that he held foreign powers responsible for seeking to destabilize his government.
The White House issued a statement early Friday in response to the Prime Minister’s speech, in which he blamed the US government for the no-trust motion filed against him.
In a televised address to the nation on Thursday, referring to the “threatening memo” that the PM said he got from a foreign country against his administration, he incorrectly labeled the United States as being behind the conspiracy.
In an apparent slip of the tongue, he mentioned “the United States…” but soon moved on to say that “a foreign country” had issued a “threatening document” to the Pakistani government.
During a normal press briefing, White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield flatly denied Prime Minister Imran Khan’s claim.
In response to a query about Pakistan’s Prime Minister accusing the US government of conspiring to depose him, Bedingfield responded, “absolutely no validity to that accusation.”
A day earlier, in response to an inquiry from Geo News about the ‘threat letter,’ the US State Department unequivocally denied any role in the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“Allegations of US involvement in the no-trust motion and ‘threat letter’ to Prime Minister Imran Khan are unfounded,” the State Department said.
Meanwhile, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price denied Imran Khan’s claim that the US government is attempting to depose him.
Price was asked to comment on PM Imran Khan’s allegation during a normal press briefing, and the US official responded, “we are actively following developments in Pakistan, we respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and rule of law.”
“However, when it comes to that claim,” he added, “there is no truth to it.”
What exactly is a ‘threat letter’?
On Sunday, during one of the PTI’s “largest” rallies in its history at Islamabad’s Parade Ground, the premier displayed a letter to the crowd, claiming that he has “written evidence” that “money has been coming in from abroad,” while “some of our people are being exploited to topple the government.”
For months, he continued, “plotting and scheming is being carried out to influence Pakistan’s foreign policy from outside.”
However, during a televised speech to the nation the day before, the Prime Minister, in an apparent slip of the tongue, mentioned “the United States…” but soon moved on and stated that “a foreign government” had written a “threatening document” to the Pakistani nation.
“…the letter stated that the no-confidence resolution was being presented even before it was filed,” the premier claimed.
PM Imran Khan stated that the memo was directed at him, not the government. “…it indicated that if the no-confidence motion passes, Pakistan will be forgiven; otherwise, penalties will be imposed.”
The prime minister indicated that an “official letter” was sent to Pakistan’s envoy, who was taking notes during the discussion.
Pakistan has submitted a protest to the US government.
Following the decision of the National Security Committee (NSC) to issue a forceful demarche to the country whose official communicated the “threat.”
According to Foreign Office officials, Pakistan summoned the US acting deputy chief of mission in Islamabad over the ‘threat letter’ and expressed significant displeasure with the undiplomatic language used against Pakistan in the memo.
According to the sources, Pakistan told the US envoy that intervention in Pakistan’s domestic affairs is unacceptable.
