ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman on Saturday once again urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to hold a probe – through an open hearing – into the ‘threat’ letter sent by the US, saying the latest meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) proved his claim the US interference in the internal matters of the country was true.
Speaking at a presser at his Bani Gala residence – the first-ever presser since his ouster – the former prime minister said that the NSC meeting – with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair – endorsed the cypher was genuine and that Pakistan’s ex-ambassador to the US held a meeting with American official Donald Lu, where the latter used undiplomatic language.
“I would like to request the Supreme Court to investigate the cypher from the US and hold an open hearing and if the apex court fails to do so, no prime minister would be able to stand firm against conspiracies and threats,” he maintained.
He said that the Supreme Court should investigate the threat letter now, which it should have done then when the deputy speaker National Assembly, Qasim Khan Suri, rejected the no-confidence motion making the threat a basis for it.
He said that if the Supreme Court orders an investigation, it would be clear which political leader visited foreign embassies and their role in calling PTI lawmakers who were unhappy with the party.
He laughed off the claims that such cyphers are nothing new as it used to come in the past as well, saying “such an undiplomatic language was never used in the past except on three occasions”.
He said that Pakistan received such threats only thrice, as first, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was threatened by the US, then Gen Musharraf, and now they did it to remove him from power.
Reiterating his claim, Khan said the US official told Pakistan’s ambassador that everything would be forgiven if prime minister Imran Khan is removed from office.
“I will go a step forward and say that he [Donald Lu] was arrogant...Joe Biden administration official told our ambassador that Imran Khan will have to be removed through a no-confidence motion,” he said while referring to a meeting between Pakistan ambassador to US and Donald Lu.
Suri claims ‘threat letter’ received by SC
Khan said that shortly after Donald Lu’s meeting with the Pakistani envoy, the PTI allies started “realising” that the country’s situation was not ideal and that the then-government needed to be removed from power.
“But let me tell you, our economic situation was very good our exports, remittances, tax collection, agricultural output, and the price of agricultural products were all historic,” he added.
In an obvious reference to the PML-N supremo, Nawaz Sharif, he said that a man sitting in London was meeting different people as were aware of his activities, adding his brother Shehbaz Sharif, and PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari were all part of it.
He also said that Shehbaz Sharif should go home now as he had said if the letter is proved true, he would step down.
The PTI chairman demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, saying there was not a single verdict that he had given in favour of the PTI.
“The CEC should step down, as he is not neutral. When the biggest party of the country [PTI] says the CEC is dishonest, he should quit. We have no trust in him, he should go home,” he declared.
To a question, he said that if no action is taken against the turncoats, they would keep selling their conscience without any hesitation which will be a “complete negation of our democracy.”
He said that he had issued directives to leaders of his party – right from MNAs, MPAs to village levels – to complete the preparations for an “independence march” to be held in Islamabad any time soon.
“The way this corrupt lot of criminals has been imposed on us is not acceptable. 60-70pc of these people are on bail, while Shehbaz Sharif have Rs40 billion corruption cases against him, and now he has been imposed on us,” he regretted.
To another question, he said: “We need to strengthen our courts and we all should tell our courts whether 63-A should not be applied on those who sold themselves shamelessly like cattle? Should not there be a day-to-day hearing against them.”
He said that electronic voting machines (EVMs) is the only way to stop rigging in elections, adding the people who don’t want elections through EVMs are habitual of rigging which we are not going to allow this time.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022