Pakistan summoned a senior US diplomat in Islamabad and lodged a strong protest over alleged US "interference" in the country's internal affairs, an official statement said on Friday.
US Charge d’ Affaires in Islamabad Angela P Aggeler was summoned by Pakistan's Foreign Office over a “threatening letter” as per a decision taken in Pakistan's National Security Council meeting on Thursday.
Khan on Thursday evening alleged, citing a letter sent to Pakistani foreign ministry by their embassy in a foreign country, that the host country was trying to remove him from office. The country further warned that its relations with Pakistan would worsen if Khan remains in office, according to the letter.
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The US State Department on Thursday firmly rejected Khan’s remarks over Washington’s role in an alleged “foreign conspiracy” to oust him from power.
In a live address to the nation, Khan discussed the letter and termed it as part of a foreign conspiracy to remove him as he was not acceptable for following an independent foreign policy. He named the US as the country behind the threat letter in what appeared to be a slip of tongue.
The Foreign Office also handed over a letter of protest to the US diplomat over the language used by a foreign official during a formal communication.
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The US diplomat has been told that "interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs is unacceptable", according to reports.
The NSC decided to issue the strong demarche to the “country” that, in an interaction, expressed displeasure at Pakistan’s policy on Ukraine and subsequently Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Masood Khan sent a letter to the Foreign Office on the issue.
Khan linked the letter with the no-confidence motion against him by the Opposition in the National Assembly. The National Assembly is scheduled to vote on the no-trust motion on Sunday.
Khan's address came at a critical juncture of his political career when he lost majority after defection from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Two of his allied parties also withdrew their support and joined the ranks of the Opposition.
The US has asserted that it did not send any letter to Pakistan on the current political situation in the country as it sought to refute allegations of America's involvement in the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan-led government.
Khan met President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on February 24, the day the Russian leader ordered a "special military operation" against Ukraine. Khan also became the first Pakistani premier to visit Russia in 23 years after former premier Nawaz Sharif travelled to Moscow in 1999.
With PTI inputs
