NSC findings vindicate stance on 'threat letter': PTI

Qureshi says existence of letter is a fact and every word of Imran is true in this regard

ISLAMABAD:

The former ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has raised seven questions following the high-level National Security Committee (NSC) meeting held to discuss the “threat letter”.

Addressing the media persons outside the CM House in Lahore, former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, “I respectfully ask (Prime Minister) Shehbaz Sharif what he has achieved from the meeting?”

Qureshi said that the NSC meeting vindicated the PTI’s stance on the “threat letter”. "The existence of the letter is a fact and every word of PTI Chairman Imran Khan is true in this regard. There is nothing new in it.”

He said it was imperative that an empowered judicial commission be appointed without delay to investigate the matter and bring the truth before the nation.

He asked seven questions -- Isn't it true that the said document contains the message of the representative of the state of Pakistan in another country which contains the details of a formal meeting?; isn't it a fact that the no-confidence motion was mentioned in the meeting and Pakistan's apology was specifically mentioned as a condition for Imran Khan's removal?; didn't the NSC consider it an interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan and in the light of the advice of the said ambassador decided to send a protest letter (demarche) to the said country?; didn't the NSC consider it so important that it was discussed in its meeting?; Shouldn’t an inquiry be held to ascertain the validity of the above points and in the light of the letter, the real nexus between the threat made in the said meeting and the local characters be traced?; Shouldn’t the diplomats from a particular country investigate and link the details of the meetings, especially between the leaders of the opposition (the current ruling party) and the dissenting PTI members?; and shouldn’t the investigators give their opinion in the meeting of the NSC after examining the views of each of the participants, as the real intentions of different characters and the nature of their relationship will be clear?

Qureshi urged the commission to investigate the threat given to Pakistan and trace the local characters who are part of the controversy.

He said that the proceedings of the judicial commission must be completely opened. "There is no scope of closed-door or secret proceedings and if conducted in such a manner, will not be accepted."

Read more: No foreign conspiracy hatched against former PM Imran: NSC

Former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry said in a tweet that the names of the entire cabinet members were on the Exit Control List (ECL). All are facing charges of extortion and money laundering. Fawad mocked that there should be a standard while selecting cabinet members.

“The facts of the NSC meeting are already before the nation,” he said. “Now, there should be an independent judicial commission to fully investigate these allegations.”

He said, “The decision of the Islamabad High Court to show the cases live is correct … the money laundering case against Shehbaz Sharif should be shown live … the date of his bail is approaching … this is the decision that should be implemented.”

Referring to the incumbent PML-N government’s decision to strike thousands off the ECL, Fawad said, “The criminal cabinet practically abolished the list for its own benefit as two-thirds of its members were on it.”

Former SAPM Shahbaz Gill said on Twitter that after the mammoth Lahore gathering, false propaganda against Imran Khan had started and “every tactic will be used to deny the facts of external conspiracy”.

Also in a tweet, former minister Zartaj Gul said, “Whenever there is a people's court, they will make their leader Imran Khan the prime minister again.”

According to a statement issued by the PTI on Friday, the NSC statement proved foreign interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan, adding that the decision to lodge a protest with the United States was correct.

The statement also called for the formation of a judicial commission as soon as possible to get to the bottom of the controversy and bring facts in front of the nation.

Imran Khan-led PTI also urged the commission to investigate the letter containing details about a meeting of a representative of Pakistan. "Isn't this true that during the meeting the no-confidence motion [against Imran Khan] and forgiving Pakistan in case Imran Khan was removed were mentioned?"

Also read: Pakistan lodges protest with US over ‘threatening memo’

The PTI's response came hours after the NSC concluded that based on the input of security agencies as well as former Pakistan ambassador to the US, no evidence of “foreign conspiracy” to oust former prime minister Imran Khan had been found.

The meeting, however, reaffirmed the decisions of the last NSC meeting which was chaired by ousted PM Imran.

The last meeting decided to record a formal protest with the US, terming the language used by an American official “undiplomatic” that tantamount to “blatant interference” in the internal matters of Pakistan.

But today's meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concluded that no evidence had been found to back Imran’s claim of a foreign conspiracy.

Former Pakistan's ambassador to the US briefed the committee on the context and content of his telegram. The NSC, after examining the contents of the communication, reaffirmed the decisions of the last NSC meeting.

The NSC was again informed by the premier security agencies that they found no evidence of any conspiracy.

“Therefore, the NSC after reviewing the contents of the communication, the assessments received, and the conclusions presented by the security agencies, concludes that there has been no foreign conspiracy.”

Former PM Imran had claimed that he was ousted from power through a conspiracy hatched by the US with the connivance of leaders of the then joint opposition earlier this month, when Imran became the first prime minister in the country’s history to be unseated by a parliamentary revolt.

The joint opposition's no-confidence motion, which required 172 votes in the 342-strong parliament to pass, was supported by 174 lawmakers, shaking the political earth of the country with an unprecedented ouster of the premier and seemingly bringing to an end the protracted crisis.