ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday called on Pakistan’s top court to conduct an open hearing into allegations that his government was ousted via a foreign conspiracy at Washington’s behest.
The former prime minister was ousted from office on April 10 via a vote of no-confidence by the then joint opposition in the National Assembly. The "lettergate scandal" refers to Khan's allegations weeks before the no-confidence movement, in which he said that his government had received a letter from the then Pakistani ambassador in Washington, which threatened a "regime change" in Pakistan.
The US has dismissed the allegations, saying there is “absolutely no truth” in the claims.
On Friday, PM Shehbaz Sharif presided over a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting, which discussed the telegram sent by the then Pakistan ambassador in Washington after his meeting with US Under Secretary Donald Lu. The ambassador, Asad Majeed, briefed the committee on the context and content of his cable.
In a statement after the meeting, the NSC said that no evidence of a foreign conspiracy had been found after reviewing the contents of the communication.
Addressing a news conference today, Saturday, Khan said the NSC had verified that the communication was genuine. He urged Pakistan’s top court to hold an investigation into the foreign conspiracy allegations.
“I want the Supreme Court to hold an open hearing on this [lettergate scandal],” said Khan. “We are not demanding an in-camera hearing, we want an open hearing.”
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman demanded an inquiry into the alleged meetings between his party’s dissidents and representatives of foreign embassies.
He said that not everyone was aware that this was a conspiracy against Pakistan but leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were involved in the alleged foreign conspiracy.
“He [former prime minister Nawaz Sharif] was involved in this conspiracy from London, with foreign countries, and the little brother here [Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif] was involved as well. Zardari was also completely involved,” he added.
Khan reiterated his demand for early elections in the country, adding that he had tasked his party’s organizers to prepare the masses for a protest rally in Islamabad.
