New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday accused a “foreign country” of trying to topple his government, and vowed he would not resign at any cost – merely days before he faces a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly.
Khan, who mentioned the United States as this country – a possible slip-of-tongue – said his visit to Russia may have angered its leaders.
“They didn’t have a problem with anyone else, but only with me. Are we their servants?” Khan asked.
In a live address to the nation, Khan said this country told the Pakistan envoy that it “had a problem with Imran Khan”. “They will forgive Pakistan only if Imran Khan loses the no-confidence vote. If not, life would become difficult for Pakistanis,” Khan said in his address.
“I ask my nation of 22 crore, is this our fate?” Khan said, adding this threatening letter was sent on March 7.
Khan berated the US for carrying out drone attacks on Pakistan even though his country had been an ally for decades.
Khan, however, said he would like to be friends with everybody. “My foreign policy has been for the people of Pakistan. I have good relations with everybody, India, the US and UK. I have great friends in India. Only when they removed Article 377 from Jammu and Kashmir on 5 August 2019, did I raise my voice against India in all forums,” he said.
Imran Khan said the “three stooges” – the Opposition leaders – were trying to sell out his country, in cahoots with the US. “They have threatened that the relationship with Pakistan will sour if I remain in power,” Khan said.
Khan began his speech by stating that this was a “defining moment” for Pakistan.
“People ask me why I came to politics? Allah has given me everything. I have money. I have everything. I don’t need anything even today. But I was born to a free Pakistan unlike my parents who were born to British slavery. I studied political science. I wanted the Pakistan of Jinnah’s dreams,” Khan said.
Merely days away from losing power, a defiant Khan said, “My manifesto was insaaf, insaniyaat, khuddari. If you want to fly, you must stand in front of resistance. I will never bow before anyone. I will not allow my country to bow before anyone.”
At a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, Khan had shared the letter which he said contained evidence of the conspiracy against him. This memo – sent to him by the “threatened” Pakistan envoy — exposed the country’s machinations, Khan said.
Khan told journalists that he had shown the letter to the military. He refused to name the country, but media reports suggested Khan’s grouse was against the United States.
Former high commissioner to India Abdul Basit told Geo News that state officials issuing such threats to diplomats were completely unheard of.
“Incidents where state officials tell diplomats that they would sever ties if a country’s government is not sent packing has never been heard before,” he said.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has rubbished insinuations that the country was in any way involved in forcing the no-confidence vote against Imran Khan.
“Allegations of US involvement in the no-trust motion and ‘threat letter’ to PM Imran Khan are baseless,” the State Department told Geo News.
The US was monitoring the political situation in Pakistan and respected the country’s constitutional process, the State Department said.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan survived another day in office Thursday when the National Assembly session to debate the no-confidence motion was adjourned till Sunday morning.
Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri called off the session barely fifteen minutes after it convened when Opposition members demanded an immediate vote.
Suri said the Opposition was “not serious”. Geo News reported that there were more than 172 lawmakers present in the Lower House, enough to pass the no-confidence vote against Khan.
Pakistan media reports suggested that Khan had offered to dissolve the assembly Thursday if the no-confidence motion was withdrawn.
Reports also said Khan had sent an “important person” as his messenger to Opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif. The Opposition, which saw it as an appeal for a “safe passage”, was in no mood to indulge Khan.
“We have the numbers. We will benefit if the process is completed on the motion as soon as possible,” an Opposition leader told Geo News.
Imran Khan also chaired a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting in his home Thursday.
On Wednesday, major allies MQM-P and the BAP had skipped Khan’s Cabinet meeting making it clear they would vote against him.
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