Prime Minister Imran Khan has named the United States as the origin of a message, which allegedly marks him as the point of tension in relations between the two countries.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused the United States of meddling in Pakistan’s politics as a debate on a no-confidence motion against him in parliament was postponed.
Fighting for his political life, Khan addressed the nation late Thursday, appearing to blunder when he named the United States as the origin of a “message” he said showed meddling in Pakistan’s affairs.
“America has – oh, not America but a foreign country I can’t name. I mean from a foreign country, we received a message,” he said.
Local media have reported the message was in a briefing letter from Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington, recording a senior US official telling him they felt relations would be better if Khan left office.
“They say that ‘our anger will vanish if Imran Khan loses this no-confidence vote’,” he said.
Khan first raised the issue on Sunday – citing an unnamed “foreign power” – at a huge rally of his supporters in the capital, Islamabad, capping weeks of political turmoil since the opposition raised the idea of a no-confidence vote.
Khan spoke off-the-cuff for around 45 minutes, touching on several favourite topics including his efforts to get Islamophobia recognised as a global threat, and charting an independent path for Pakistan on the world stage.
READ MORE: Pakistan PM alleges ‘foreign’ plot against him at Islamabad rally
“America ney ik …America nahi bahar se mulk..matalb kis aur mulk se..(America…no not America some other country)”, Pakistan PM Imran Khan during his address to nation indicating foreign hand in destabilizing his govt. pic.twitter.com/5Npq1fTbjg
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) March 31, 2022
Debate postponed
Debate on the no-confidence motion was due to start on Thursday, but the deputy speaker – from Khan’s party – suspended proceedings when legislators declined to first address other items on the agenda.
“The deputy speaker has once again dishonoured the parliamentary norms by not allowing the agenda item for a debate,” opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif, tipped to replace Khan if he goes, told reporters.
Parliament will sit again on Sunday morning.
No Pakistan premier has ever seen out a full term, and Khan is facing the biggest challenge to his rule since being elected in 2018.
His opponents are accusing him of economic mismanagement and foreign-policy bungling.
The government is also battling to contain a rise in militancy by the Pakistan Taliban, which on Wednesday announced an offensive against security forces during Ramadan, due to begin within days with the sighting of the next new moon.
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Pakistan PM Khan accuses US of meddling as no-confidence debate postponed
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