The National Security Committee of Pakistan concluded on 22nd April 2022 that there is no evidence of a foreign conspiracy to topple the Imran Khan government, which was ousted earlier this month. A press release published by Islamabad today said that in the 38th meeting of the National Security Committee of the cabinet chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, any possibility of such a foreign conspiracy was denied.
The press release says, “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the 38th meeting of the National Security Committee of the Cabinet today. The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Rana Sanaullah, Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of State Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niaz, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar, former Pak Ambassador to the USA Mr. Asad Majeed and senior civil & Military Officers.”
It further says, “The NSC discussed the telegram received from the Pakistan embassy in Washington. Pakistan’s former ambassador to the USA briefed the Committee on the context and content of his telegram. The NSC, after examining the contents of the communication, reaffirmed the decisions of the last NSC meeting. The NSC was again informed by the premier security agencies that they have found no evidence of any conspiracy. Therefore, the NSC after reviewing the contents of the communication, the assessments received, and the conclusions presented by the security agencies, concludes that there has been no foreign conspiracy.”
Ever since the opposition parties had come together to remove the Imran Khan govt, the former PM Imran Khan and other leaders of PTI had been alleging that foreign powers were trying to topple the government. As it had become certain that the govt would not win the no-confidence motion brought by the opposition, Imran Khan had started naming USA as the conspirator.
Before the no-confidence vote in the Pakistan National Assembly, Imran Khan claimed to have received inputs from the former ambassador to the United States saying that the US was not happy with Imran Khan, particularly after his visit to Moscow amid the Russia-Ukraine war. Alleging that the no-confidence move against him was part of a foreign conspiracy, Imran Khan had claimed that a cable received from the ambassador was evidence of the conspiracy.
Imran Khan had advised the president to dissolve the National Assembly and called for fresh elections. But after his party lost the no-confidence vote, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) chief Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was elected as the leader of the house and was declared the Prime Minister.
Besides the foreign conspiracy, Imran Khan and his party leaders also claimed a threat to his life. Following this, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered tight security for Imran Khan in his public rallies.
