Islamabad: The US has responded to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans allegations that Washington was collaborating with Islamabads opposition leaders to remove him from power through a no-confidence motion, which would likely be put to a vote on April 3.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has summoned the US Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to issue a strong demarche over the US attempt to interfere with the country’s internal affairs and for the use of threatening language by one of its senior diplomats, Samaa TV reported.
Khan named the US on Thursday though he quickly added that he didn’t want to name any country.
The US State Department and the White House separately said that there is “no truth” in the allegations levelled by Khan.
White House Spokesperson Kate Bedingfield was asked by a reporter that “the Prime Minister of Pakistan accused the US of working with the opposition to remove him”.
“There is absolutely no truth to that allegation,” Bedingfield replied.
Separately, State Department spokesperson Ned Price also that what Khan had said was not true.
“We are closely following developments in Pakistan. We respect that. We support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law. But when it comes to those allegations there is no truth in them.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign Office has summoned the US Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad and has lodged a strong demarche as decided at the meeting of the National Security Committee on Thursday.
It is understood that a similar demarche was also issued in Washington by Pakistan’s embassy.
The NSC in its statement had said 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”.
A terse statement from Pakistan Foreign Office late Thursday night said that “as decided in the National Security Committee meeting held on 31 March 2022, the requisite demarches have been made through diplomatic channels”.
