‘No Foreign Conspiracy’: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Gives Clean Chit to United States | Exclusive

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday gave a clean chit to the United States, refuting his predecessor Imran Khan’s claims of a “foreign conspiracy” behind the no-trust vote and subsequent change of government, top sources told CNN-News18.

The clean chit given was given at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting, which was attended by top cabinet ministers and all service chiefs, including Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, said sources.

The telegram received from Pakistan embassy in Washington was discussed at the meeting.

After reviewing the content of the communication and analysis given by agencies, it was concluded that there was no evidence of foreign conspiracy, said sources.

THE LETTER

Khan, in his address to Pakistanis on March 31, while making a somewhat deliberate attempt at faking a slip of tongue, said: “On March 8 or before that on March 7, the US sent us a – not the US but a foreign country sent us a message. The reason why I am talking about this, for an independent country to receive such a message, is against me and the country…It stated that if the no-confidence motion is passed, Pakistan will be forgiven, if not, there will be consequences.” He said that the letter was sent to the Pakistan ministry of external affairs.

ALSO READ | Pak Security Agencies Found No Evidence of US Conspiracy to Oust Imran Khan: Top Official to News18

The White House director of communications Kate Bedingeld had then said there was no truth to the allegation.

Khan had also named US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu as the person who has allegedly “warned” a Pakistan envoy to the US, as they had issues with his foreign policy, especially his visit to Russia and the stance on the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The cable was reportedly sent on March 7, a day before the Opposition submitted the no-confidence motion and requisitioned a National Assembly session for voting on it. Meanwhile, Dawn newspaper had reported that the cable was sent by Pakistan’s then ambassador to United States Asad Majeed based on his meeting with Lu.

A US State Department spokesperson had said: “There is no truth to these allegations.”

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