Did US get Imran Khan removed as Pak PM? What is in the secret cable document?

When Imran Khan was ousted from office in April 2022 after losing a no-confidence motion, he held public rallies, where he shouted that Pakistan’s military establishment and foreign powers (US) were involved in his removal.

Khan, surrounded by thousands of supporters, would flash a paper from the rostrum, saying that he has proof of a 'secret letter' which had evidence to back up his claims. According to Khan, his position on the Ukraine-Russia war had rattled the West which wanted him out of the office.

When Shehbaz Sharif took over, he said that Khan’s claims were hollow and that there was no conspiracy to remove him.

Imran Khan today is languishing in the Attock jail over corruption charges in the Toshakhana case. He is troubled by flies and insects in his cell and worried about his political future as the judgement, disqualifies him from participating in active politics for next five years. He wants his lawyers to get him out of jail.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s government has been dissolved and a care-taker PM would soon take over. Amidst all of this, a document has emerged, which has been produced by a website Intercept, which says that the US had indeed shown interest in the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan’s Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf government.

The document is referred to as ‘secret’ and is alleged to have been obtained by the Intercept from an army source in  Pakistan. The ‘cable’ contains accounts of the meeting between US State Department officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu and Asad Majeed Khan, Pakistan’s ambassador to the US.

What US official said on no-confidence motion?

The meeting starts with US official Donald Lu expressing concerns with Pakistan’s neutral stand on the Ukraine issue. As per the document, Donald Lu had said, “People here and in Europe are concerned about why Pakistan is taking such an aggressively neutral position (on Ukraine), if such a position is even possible." 

He further said, “If the no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister succeeds, all will be forgiven in Washington, because the Russia visit is being looked at as a decision by the Prime Minister. Otherwise, it will be tough going ahead.”

Notably, Khan had made a visit to Moscow, right on the day when Russia had attacked Ukraine.On Imran Khan’s visit to the Russia, Donald Lu said, “The Prime Minister’s visit to Moscow was planned during the Beijing Olympics and there was an attempt by the Prime Minister to meet Putin which was not successful and then this idea was hatched that he would go to Moscow.”

On this, Pakistan ambassador, Asad Majeed said that Khan’s visit to Moscow had nothing to do with the Ukraine war and that the visit was in plan for the last few years. “I told Don that this was completely misinformed and wrong perception. The visit to Moscow had been in the work for at least a few years and was a result of deliberate institutional process.”

Imran Khan’s stand on Ukraine-Russia war

The former Prime Minister was vocal about his views on the Russia-Ukraine war.  He clearly wanted a neutral stand for Pakistan in the Russia-Ukraine war.

“On my return from a visit, Gen Bajwa asked me to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. I told him that Russia, which is a strategic ally of the US , is staying neutral.So, Pakistan should stay neutral.”

Imran Khan had clearly stated that Pakistan should not take sides in the war. In one of his public speeches, pointing at the pressure created by US on Pakistan's stadn on war, he said, “Kya ham inke naukar hai” (Are we their servants?).

This, as per the now revealed report did not go well down with White House which Asad Majeed has written in the secret document.

“Don could not have conveyed such a strong demarche without the express approval of the White House, to which he referred repeadtedly. Clearly, Don spoke out of turn on Pakistan’s internal political process. We need to seriously reflect on this, and consider making an appropriate demarche to the U.S Cd A.a.i in Islamabad.”