The United States welcomes the statement released by the National Security Committee (NSC) categorically rejecting any foreign conspiracy to oust former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
During the weekly press briefing, a journalist questioned the State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter about the NSC statement. She replied that the US has been refuting the allegations of a conspiracy and it welcomes the statement.
“We have continued to say all along, there’s absolutely no truth to those rumors. So we welcome this statement,” said Porter. She also added that a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan is critical to US interests.
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“And I would also like to underscore that the United States values our longstanding cooperation with Pakistan. And has always viewed a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan as critical to U.S. interests,” Jalina Porter said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the NSC meeting with chiefs of army staff, naval staff, and air staff in attendance. Former Pakistani ambassador to Washington Dr. Asad Majeed Khan briefed the meeting about the content of the diplomatic cable.
The NSC then concluded that “there has been no foreign conspiracy” to oust Imran Khan’s government. However, it also reaffirmed the decisions of the last NSC meeting. Ousted PM Imran chaired that meeting.
"The NSC, after examining the contents of the communication, reaffirmed the decisions of the last NSC meeting". Just as a reminder the statement after the last NSC meeting said there was blatant interference.
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) April 22, 2022
Pertinent to note here that in the last NSC meeting, the committee expressed serious concerns over the threatening memo of the communication of the foreign official. It also termed it undiplomatic and amounted to ‘blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances’. As a result, Pakistan also sent a demarche to the US.
USA’s stance
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan had accused the US of hatching a conspiracy to topple his government. However, the US has firmly rejected the allegations on multiple occasions.
During a regular press briefing, White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield categorically rejected PM Khan’s allegation.
“There is absolutely no truth to that allegation,” Kate Bedingfield said.
Read more: US responds to PM Khan’s speech
Similarly, the US Department of State also rejected the claims. A reporter asked the State Department spokesman Ned Price to comment on PM Khan’s allegations. Ned Price also said that there is no truth to the allegations. He also said that the US is closely following developments in Pakistan.
“We are closely following developments in Pakistan, we respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and rule of law”.
“However, when it comes to that allegation, there is no truth to it,” he concluded.
US State Department Spokesman Ned Price was asked by a reporter about Prime Minister Imran Khan's allegations
His reply: There is no truth to those allegations
He also said "we are closely following developments in Pakistan & support its Constitution and rule of law" pic.twitter.com/QNLiEbxdn9
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) April 1, 2022