US ‘agrees’ with ISPR on diplomatic cable

Spokesperson Price says relationship between the US and Pakistan has been vital for 75 years

WASHINGTON:

The United States said on Friday it looked forward to work with the new Pakistani government to promote peace and prosperity in the country, and expressed its support for the peaceful upholding of constitutional and democratic principles.

At a regular news briefing at the State Department, Spokesperson Ned Price said that the US government agreed with the statement of the Pakistan Army that the word “conspiracy” was not mentioned in the “diplomatic cable”.

“We have congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on his election and we look forward to working with him and his government,” Price said. “We support the peaceful upholding of constitutional and democratic principles.”

Responding to a question allegations of conspiracy levelled by former prime minister Imran Khan, Price said that he agreed with the statement of Pakistan Army's spokesperson that the word “conspiracy” was not mentioned in the “diplomatic cable”.

Read: 'Military finds no evidence of foreign conspiracy against PM Imran'

On Thursday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar told a news conference that demarche was issued to the US because the language used in the "diplomatic cable" was undiplomatic and that amounted to “interference” in the country’s internal matters.

Previously, former prime minister Imran Khan had said that the then opposition’s no-confidence motion against him was a foreign conspiracy. He waved a letter at a public rally on March 27, saying that it was the evidence of that conspiracy. Later, it was stated that the ‘letter’ was a ‘diplomatic cable’.

On March 31, Imran had chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee, where the military leaders were also present. After the meeting, the US diplomat was summoned to the foreign ministry and handed a demarche.

AT the State Department briefing, Price was asked about Imran’s stance of blaming the US for his ouster. He replied that “the US government’s message has been clear and consistent on it and that there was no truth whatsoever to the allegations that have been put forward.

He said that the US government agreed with the statement of the Pakistan Army spokesperson regarding the word ‘conspiracy’ not being mentioned in the diplomatic cable. “We do not support, whether it’s in Pakistan or anywhere else around the world, one political party over another,” he said.

Read more No conspiracy, demarche given on interference: DG ISPR

“We support the peaceful upholding of constitutional and democratic principles, including respect for human rights… We support broader principles, including the rule of law and equal justice under the law,” he added.

Responding to another question whether the US saw Shehbaz Sharif’s election as the new prime minister as an opportunity to improve the bilateral ties, Price replied that for almost 75 years, the relationship between the United States and Pakistan had been a vital one.