Russia has accused the United States of interfering in the internal affairsof Pakistan to “punish disobedient” Prime Minister Imran Khan for notcancelling his February visit to Russia.
These comments on Pakistan’s political events were made by Russian ministryof foreign affairs Spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, in a statementlink on Monday. It was alsoshared in a Facebook post.
President Arif Alvi on Sunday dissolved the National Assembly on therecommendation of Prime Minister Khan after National Assembly DeputySpeaker Qasim Suri rejected the united opposition’s no-confidence motionand termed it against Article 5 of Pakistan’s Constitution.
However, the multi-party confab challenged it in the Supreme Court andsought a no-confidence vote. Moreover, PM Imran had also called for earlyelections and suggested two names for the interim set-up.
“We would like to note that this was preceded by the following events,”read the Russian foreign ministry statement.
“Immediately after the announcement of the upcoming working visit of [PM]Imran Khan to Moscow on February 23-24 this year. The Americans and theirWestern associates began to exert rude pressure on the prime minister,demanding an ultimatum to cancel the trip. When he nevertheless came to us,US Deputy Secretary of State for South Asia D Liu called the Pakistaniambassador in Washington and demanded that the visit be immediatelyinterrupted, which was also rejected,” it read.
Quoting Pakistani media, Zakharova said that on March 7 this year, in aconversation with former Pakistani ambassador to the US Asad Majid, ahigh-ranking American official (presumably the same D Liu) “sharplycondemned” the balanced reaction of the Pakistani leadership to the eventsin Ukraine and made it clear that partnerships with the US “are possibleonly if [PM] Imran is removed from power”.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a presser admitted that the US hadshared their viewpoint with Pakistan ahead of the premier’s visit to Russiaand especially at a time when Kremlin started an assault on neighbouringUkraine. Moreover, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Feb 23said the US had communicated its position regarding Russia’s “renewedinvasion of Ukraine” to Pakistan.
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“The further development of the situation leaves no doubt that the UnitedStates decided to punish the ‘disobedient’ Imran Khan: a group of deputiesof the same party of the prime minister ‘suddenly’ went over to theopposition and the question of a vote of no confidence in the head ofgovernment was immediately submitted to the parliament, the vote on whichwas scheduled for April 3rd,” Zakharova said.
She alleged that it was another attempt of “shameless” US interference inthe internal affairs of an independent state for its selfish purposes. “Theabove facts eloquently testify to this.”
The spokesperson referred to the concerns of the Iranian prime minister,who has repeatedly stated that the conspiracy against him was “inspired andfinanced from abroad”.
“We hope that Pakistani voters will be informed about these circumstanceswhen they come to the elections, which should be held within 90 days afterthe dissolution of the National Assembly,” Zakharova said.
It is pertinent to mention that the US have multiple times rejectedlinkthe“threat letter” allegations and reiterated its support for Pakistan’sconstitutional process and the rule of law.
