ISLAMABAD: Ned Price, the spokesman for the United States Department of State, said on Thursday the US “agreed” with a recent statement by the Pakistani military that it had found no evidence of a US “conspiracy” to oust Imran Khan, who was voted out of the office of prime minister last week in a no-trust vote.
Khan, who ruled Pakistan for three and a half years, has accused Washington of backing his ouster because he wanted to pursue an “independent foreign policy,” including having close ties with China and Russia.
“Our message has been clear and consistent on this. There is no truth whatsoever to the allegations that have been put forward,” Price told reporters.
When asked about Pakistan army spokesmen General Babar Iftikhar’s statement on Thursday that the military had found no evidence to suggest the US was involved in a conspiracy to seek the ouster of Khan’s government, Price said: “We would agree with it.”
"You can see clearly whether there's any word of conspiracy in that statement. I don't think so," Iftikhar told a news conference in reference to a statement released after a National Security Committee this month which had expressed concern over non-diplomatic language used in a cable from a "foreign country," widely assumed to mean the United States, about the no-confidence vote.
Pakistan three services chiefs are part of the NSC and Khan has repeatedly said the military agreed with him about the foreign interference.
Pakistan's lower house of parliament eventually voted in favor of removing Khan from office on Sunday.
Opposition parties and analysts say the army helped Khan win election in 2018, which they both deny, but that support waned after a falling-out over foreign policy issues and the appointment of the country's new intelligence chief late last year.
Khan has now called for the setting up of a judicial commission to probe into the accusation that the US conspired to topple him.