WASHINGTON: The United States rejected on Thursday claims from the prime minister that it is involved in a conspiracy to remove him from power through the no-confidence vote moved against him by the unified opposition.
In his address to the nation on Thursday, Imran Khan said the move to oust him was a “foreign conspiracy” backed by a Western country that was unhappy with his visit last month to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin.
Khan was in Moscow and met with Putin the day Russian forces entered neighbouring Ukraine.
The prime minister did not openly name the alleged conspiring country. He appeared 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.”
In separate briefings on Thursday, the State Department and the White House said there was “no truth” to those claims.
“There is absolutely no truth to that allegation,” White House spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield told reporters in a briefing.
Khan has faced mounting criticism of his performance, including his management of a troubled economy. On Sunday, he faces a tough parliamentary no-confidence vote seeking to oust him.
“I have never accepted defeat in life. Whatever the result of the vote, I will come forward with more strength,” Khan said Thursday.
The vote has become increasingly difficult for Khan since he lost his majority in parliament when Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) quit his coalition. It could see the former cricket star ousted and the return of political uncertainty.
“Well, we are closely following developments in Pakistan, and we respect, we support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said at a briefing.
“But when it comes to those allegations [of the letter], there is no truth to them.”
