During a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting on March 27, the military leadership contradicted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s claims by stating that they had no evidence to support the notion of the United States being involved in a conspiracy to oust the PTI government.
The NSC, chaired by PM Imran, convened to discuss a diplomatic cable that the PTI government alleged contained evidence of a US plot to bring about a regime change in Pakistan.
Following the meeting, the NSC released a statement expressing concerns over the non-diplomatic language used in the cable, considering it as interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. Consequently, the NSC decided to issue a demarche to the United States.
This NSC statement was subsequently utilized by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri to block a vote on the no-confidence motion, leading to a constitutional crisis.
PM Imran asserted that the NSC had supported the government’s stance that the no-confidence vote was part of a conspiracy to remove him from power.
But sources in the relevant quarters told Boostup Pakistan on Monday that a wrong impression was given about the military leadership endorsing the view of the government.
According to a source, there are doubts regarding the endorsement of the NSC statement by the military leadership, as the minutes of the meeting have not been signed by all participants. This raises questions about the authenticity of the statement as an official document.
The source also mentioned that the relevant authorities confirmed that no letter had been received from the US, and it was based on the Pakistani ambassador’s assessment after meeting with US officials.
Furthermore, concerns were raised about the delay in convening the NSC meeting and the lack of visible government action between March and March 27.
The source emphasized that the relevant authorities found no evidence linking the no-confidence vote and the diplomatic cable that triggered the ongoing political and constitutional crises.
Additionally, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s recent speech differed from the rhetoric of the Prime Minister, indicating a divergence in foreign policy views. General Qamar expressed the importance of Pakistan’s long-term relationship with the United States and condemned Russian aggression in the Ukraine crisis.
Despite these differences, the military leadership has not made any public statements clarifying their stance on the alleged foreign-funded plot against the Prime Minister.
Following the eventful day in Pakistan’s history, the chief military spokesperson categorically stated that the army was “absolutely not” involved in the events that transpired in the National Assembly.
