Russian Ambassador to Pakistan Danila Ganich has said that former prime minister Imran Khan’s visit to Moscow earlier this year could be one of the reasons behind his ouster from the power.
He made these remarks while responding to a question related to the ex-PM’s allegations that a “foreign conspiracy” was hatched against his government after his visit to Russia.
In an interview with a local TV channel, the envoy said it was a “sheer coincidence” that the former premier visited Moscow on the day Russia launched the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
“I think that was one of the factors but I also know that it was a sheer coincidence that he happened to be in Moscow on that very day.”
The ambassador said had former PM Imran known about the Ukraine invasion, “definitely he would have tried to refrain from being there”.
When the programme host precisely asked the envoy about Imran’s ‘foreign conspiracy’ claims, Ganich said: “As an ambassador of a foreign country I would prefer not to interfere in your internal affairs. I do know that there was the conclusion that there was no conspiracy. So here I would say period.”
On the ousted PM’s claims that Russia offered his government oil and wheat at discounted rates, the ambassador said no memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two sides in this regard.
“I can confirm that we did not conclude any MoU. But Imran Khan did not say that we conclude any MoU but as for what kind of discounts could have been offered I cannot comment as this is indoor negotiation.”
Earlier in April, the Russian foreign ministry had said the ongoing political developments “leaves no doubt” that the US intended to punish the “disobedient” PTI chief.
In a statement, the Russian foreign office criticised the US for being involved in an alleged conspiracy to overthrow the then Pakistani premier, stating that the opposition was colluding with the Western superpower.
