ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday said his party could return to parliament if the government conducted a thorough inquiry into an alleged cipher from a United States (US) official that is at the center of Khan’s allegations that his ouster was orchestrated by Washington, local media reported.
Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was ousted through a parliamentary vote of no-trust in April. Washington and Khan’s opponents, who are now in power, have both denied the allegations.
The former premier has since shaped his anti-government narrative around the alleged cypher, based on a meeting between then Pakistani Ambassador to the US Asad Majeed and State Department official Donald Lu.
Khan on Saturday said members of his party would withdraw their resignations, submitted shortly after his ouster in April, if the government conducted an inquiry into the diplomatic cable allegedly hinting a “regime change” in Pakistan.
“PTI is ready to return to the National Assembly only if a thorough probe is carried out into the US cipher,” Pakistan’s ARY News channel quoted Khan as telling reporters during an in-camera interaction in Islamabad.
Khan’s statement came a day after Umar Ata Bandial, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, said the judiciary had no role in breaking a political impasse, urging the legislature, the executive and other state organs to play their part in upholding the rule of law and supremacy of the constitution.
The developments follow months of political uncertainty in the South Asian country, which has worsened the economic crisis and resulted in widening the current account deficit, lowering the forex reserves, rupee’s depreciation and sending inflation to a 47-year high of 27.3 percent in August.
Khan, who has been holding rallies to garner support against the government, is seeking snap elections in the country.
General elections in Pakistan are scheduled to be held by October 2023, or less than 60 days from the dissolution of the National Assembly on August 13, 2023.
PM Shehbaz Sharif’s government has rejected Khan’s demand and said polls would be held next year, as per schedule.
