NSC rejects US ‘conspiracy’ against former PM Imran Khan, didn’t refute ‘no-confidence motion’ not included in the communique

By Zahid Shah 

ISLAMABAD (TSAT) - The National Security Committee, a top body of the civil-military leadership of Pakistan on Friday rejected the “conspiracy” hatched by the US against former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, the committee endorsed the decision taken by the NSC in its meeting held on March 31, which was presided by the then  PM Khan. 

In a statement, issued from the Prime Minister office, said the NSC meeting held at PM House, chaired by the new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The meeting was also attended by Federal Ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Rana Sanaullah, Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, Mr Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of State Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar, former Pak Ambassador to US Mr Asad Majeed and senior civil & Military Officers.

The former ambassador to the US Asad Majid Khan briefed the participants on his discussion with the US officials and his assessments. 

“The NSC, after examining the contents of the communication, reaffirmed the decisions of the last NSC meeting,” It’s said.

However, the premier security agencies of the country informed the meeting that they have found no evidence of any conspiracy. 

“Therefore, the NSC after reviewing the contents of the communication, the assessments received, and the conclusions presented by the security agencies, concludes that there has been no foreign conspiracy,” it’s concluded. 

Imran Khan claims that a no-confidence motion is mentioned in the communique, however, the committee didn’t refute his claim in the Friday statement. 

On March 31, the NSC condemned the purported communique from the US, saying the language used was “unacceptable” and “undiplomatic.”

The top civil-military body said the communication “amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances,” said the committee in its statement.

Khan accused Washington of hatching a conspiracy against his government and ousted him through a no-confidence motion which was brought by the opposition parties in the parliament.

Khan supporters and former military officers praised the former ambassador to Washington Asad Majid on social media to stand by his words and didn’t step back from his communique. 

“Asad Majeed Khan, our Ambassador to USA, refused to change his assessment on meeting with US State Dept officials despite pressures. Kudos for his competence & integrity. A good example for other bureaucrats,” Muhammad Haroon Aslam. Lt Gen (Retd) wrote on Twitter. 

However, there are no official words or confirmation from Majid that the government pressurized him to change his stance.