By PTI
ISLAMABAD: A defiant Imran Khan on Thursday indicated that he will not resign from the post of Pakistan’s prime minister despite losing the majority in the National Assembly and insisted that he will face the vote of no-confidence which would take place on Sunday.
In a live-address to the nation, 69-year-old Khan also discussed a ‘threat letter’ that purportedly showed “evidence” of a foreign conspiracy to topple his coalition government.
He named the US as the country behind the threat in what appeared to be a slip of tongue.
“Our policy was not anti-US, -Europe, or even India. it became anti-Indian after New Delhi revoked the special status of Kashmir and broke international law in August 2019,” said Khan, who insists that the Kashmir dispute remained a big issue between the two countries.
India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and shall forever” remain an integral part of the country.
“The letter stated that the no-confidence motion was being tabled even before it was filed, which means the Opposition was in contact with them,” Khan said, adding that the letter was against him, not against the government.
Khan said that it was an “official letter” that was communicated to Pakistan’s ambassador, who was taking notes during the meeting.
He said the foreign official knew that the ones who would come into power after him would have no issues taking orders from external forces.
“But what is most disturbing is that our people, who are sitting here, are in contact with foreign powers,” he said, as he referred to the “three stooges” – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
“Will foreign countries want such corrupt people in power in their states? They are ready to accept such corrupt politicians, but I am not acceptable to them,” the prime minister said.
Khan said he will play till the last ball and the no-trust vote on Sunday will decide where the country will go.
Khan needs 172 votes in the lower house of 342 to foil the Opposition’s bid to topple him.
However, Opposition claims it has the support of 175 lawmakers and the prime minister should immediately resign.
No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.
Also, no prime minister in Pakistan’s history has ever been ousted through a no-confidence motion, and Khan is the third premier to face the challenge.
Pakistan’s top security body on Thursday decided to issue a strong demarche to a country, that it did not name, over a “threatening letter” — purportedly showing evidence of a foreign conspiracy to oust Imran Khan government — and expressed concern at the undiplomatic communication and “interference” in its internal affairs.
Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the 37th meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) at Prime Minister’s House to discuss a controversial letter sent by the Pakistan ambassador in that country, which according to Prime Minister Khan threatened to remove him from office.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers of Defence, Energy, Information and Broadcasting, Interior, Finance, Human Rights, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Services Chiefs, National Security Adviser and senior officers.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), NSA Moeed Yusuf briefed the committee about the “formal communication of a senior official of a foreign country” to Pakistan’s ambassador in that country in a formal meeting which was subsequently conveyed.
“The committee expressed grave concern at the communication, terming the language used by the foreign official as undiplomatic,” according to the statement.
“The Committee concluded that the communication amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances.”
The NSC decided that the protest should be launched with that country.
“The Committee decided that Pakistan will issue a strong demarche to the country in question both in Islamabad and in the country’s capital through proper channel in keeping with diplomatic norms,” according to the statement.
The participants also endorsed the Cabinet’s decision in the Special Cabinet meeting held on March 30 to take the parliament into confidence through an in-camera briefing of the National Security Committee of the Parliament.
The meeting comes a day after Khan shared some content of a letter – purportedly showing evidence of a foreign conspiracy to oust his government – with his cabinet members and a selected group of journalists.
Khan waved the purported letter at a public rally on March 27 and claimed that a foreign conspiracy was afoot to remove him from power, touting the Opposition’s no-confidence move against him as a testimony of “foreign funded” move to topple his government.
Several Opposition leaders had asked Khan to divulge the details of the letter while denouncing it as an effort to divert pressure and hold on to power.
Pakistan’s National Assembly session was on Thursday adjourned abruptly till Sunday after opposition lawmakers demanded an immediate vote on a no-confidence motion against Khan who has effectively lost majority in the lower house.
