ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Tuesday asserted that Prime Minister Imran Khan was ready to share a letter — that he claimed during the PTI’s March 27 rally contained evidence of a “foreign-funded conspiracy” to topple his government — with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Asad Umar revealed that the letter had only been shared with the top civil and military leadership and a few members of the federal cabinet.
“They are asking why can’t we share the letter with them,” Umar said, without naming anyone and in an apparent reference to opposition leaders. He added that national secrets are very sensitive in nature and there are clear laws on with whom these could be shared.
Umar then insisted that he had seen the letter himself, adding that if someone had doubts, the “prime minister is ready. He thought we can share with the chief justice of the Supreme Court.”
“Obviously, it is the highest office of justice in Pakistan. Personally too, the chief justice has a very good reputation. The premier said that on the nation’s behalf, for the people’s satisfaction, he is ready to present the letter to CJP,” he added.
Letter details
Sharing the details of the letter, the Planning minister pointed out that the letter was dated prior to the submission of the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly.
“This is a very concerning thing and it is important because this letter clearly mentions the no-confidence resolution. There is no ambiguity that the no-confidence motion is being talked about,” Umar said.
Umar further said the letter stated that if Imran Khan remained the prime minister, it would lead to “horrific consequences”. Moreover, the minister said, contents of the letter termed the ouster of PM Imran a “good result”.
The federal minister added that the “threat” PM Imran spoke about in relevance to the letter during his March 27 address, “is directly linked to the no-confidence motion”.
PM Imran had said during his address: “Attempts are being made through foreign money to change the government in Pakistan. Our people are being used. Mostly inadvertently, but some people are using money against us. We know from what places attempts are being to pressure us. We have been threatened in writing but we will not compromise on national interest.”
“So it is clear that … the foreign hand [involved in toppling the PTI government] and no-confidence motion are linked. These are not two separate things and we see a clear connection between them,” Umar added today.
Taking over the presser, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry mentioned incidents such as the killing of former prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan, the hanging of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the death of General Ziaul Haq in a plane crash.
So, he said, it was not the first time such efforts were being made to oust a prime minister in the country. “Imran Khan is a leader who doesn’t take calls from abroad. He has been warned in this letter of the consequences he continues to practice politics in such a manner,” Chaudhry remarked.
‘Nawaz Sharif’s involvement’
Meanwhile, Asad Umar alleged that former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was one of the “characters” mentioned in the letter that he said revealed the conspiracy to topple the PTI government.
“Nawaz is sitting in London and holding meetings abroad”, he said, adding that PM Imran would share details of these meetings when he would feel the need. Many of these meetings, he continued, were reported by the media and, “we are seeing a result of these meetings in the form of the no-confidence motion”.
Then, he added, the senior leadership of the Pakistan Democratic Movement was also aware of “how the contents of the letter are linked to the no-confidence motion”.
“While speaking to our MNAs and media persons, they used to say that ‘all matters have been settled’, and so they obviously know how it is connected to the no-trust motion,” the minister said.
However, he added, “I believe that the majority of lawmakers in the NA, including those from the opposition, are unaware of the other elements behind the no-confidence motion.”
