Cabinet members dispel PM's 'anti-US' perception

PM Khan says he fully understands the importance of all countries; asserts he was against no one

ISLAMABAD:

The members of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet have dispelled the “false perception” that the premier was anti-America, insisting that the premier was well aware of the importance of all countries.

The clarification comes amid a heated debate - over the prime minister’s foreign policy and an alleged “exit” from the ‘Western camp’ – triggered by his speeches accusing “foreign forces” of hatching a conspiracy to topple him. The PM, in his speeches delivered in the wake of the no-confidence motion, has insisted that his political perils were the price for crafting an independent foreign policy.

The cabinet members expressed these views during a special cabinet meeting held on Wednesday to discuss the situation arising after Pakistan’s outgoing Ambassador to the US Asad Majeed Khan’s diplomatic cable.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu had reportedly in a meeting with Ambassador Asad Majeed warned that there could be implications if Prime Minister Khan survived the opposition’s no-confidence motion in the National Assembly.

The members said that false perception was being created to cast the prime minister as anti-US or anti-West.

Moreover, during the meeting, PM Khan also reiterated that he fully understood the importance of all countries, including the Western nations, asserting that he was against no one.

The meeting noted that the prime minister’s motive was to build an independent foreign policy as he did not want to capitulate to foreign pressures to safeguard personal interests “as was the case with his predecessors”.

The cabinet also raised alarm over an “attempt to drive a wedge between state institutions and isolate PM Khan”.

Read: US says no truth to PM Imran’s allegation

US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu had informed Pakistan’s ambassador that the US National Security Council was of the opinion that the decision to remain neutral in the Ukraine-Russia war had been solely taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to the information shared with the cabinet.

The meeting took place in Washington on March 7 with Donald Lu. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lesslie Viguerie from the US side and the deputy chief of the Pakistani mission, the Pakistani defence attaché and a counsellor.

The gist of the message of the Pakistani ambassador was that the US was not happy with the neutral stance taken by Pakistan on the Ukraine situation and that it was the opinion of the US National Security Council that such neutrality was due to “Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policy”.

Meanwhile, PM Imran, during his televised address to the nation, has termed the matter an “issue of supreme national interest” and that the act was akin to interference in the domestic affairs of the country.
However, the Pakistani ambassador contested the US' viewing of the developments as “a solo flight”, insisting that decisions were based on inter-agency consultations.

Read: Pakistan threatened with 'dire consequences' if no-trust fails: PM Imran

The correspondence further stated that the US assistant secretary was of the opinion that Pakistan’s neutrality in the Ukraine conflict was the doing of the prime minister of Pakistan, adding that "if the vote of no-confidence succeeded, this stance of Pakistan would be forgiven".

However, if the vote of no-confidence is unsuccessful, it would entail adverse consequences and “going ahead will be tough”, the cabinet was briefed, adding, the Assistant Secretary further stated that failure of the no-confidence vote would result in strong isolation of the prime minister from the US and Europe.

The cabinet was informed that on the Pakistani ambassador’s insistence on the necessity of continuous positive engagement of the US with Pakistan, the assistant secretary implied that the question of further engagement would be dealt with in light of how the dust settles.

The assistant secretary told the ambassador that the premier’s decision to remain neutral has dented US-Pak relations and future bilateral relations would depend on the result of the vote of no-confidence.

The cabinet observed that the threat was not just against the premier but rather to the state. “Such an attitude was steeped in history and it was unfortunate that leaders of some political parties in opposition were abetting in keeping the country pliant to the dictates of foreign powers,” it was lamented during the meeting.

The cabinet fully endorsed the prime minister’s policy of not letting Pakistan’s territory be used by any foreign power against Pakistan's interest. The cabinet also reposed full faith, trust and confidence in the leadership of PM Imran and the foreign policy of the government.

It also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to furnish the sealed copy of the cyphered message to the cabinet division for safe custody.