Pakistan's top security body decides to issue strong demarche to unnamed 'country' over 'threat letter'

Islamabad, Mar 31: Pakistan's top security body on Thursday decided to issue a strong demarche to a country, that it did not name, over a "threatening letter" -- purportedly showing evidence of a foreign conspiracy to oust Imran Khan government -- and expressed concern at the undiplomatic communication and "interference" in its internal affairs.

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the 37th meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) at Prime Minister's House to discuss a controversial letter sent by the Pakistan ambassador in that country, which according to Prime Minister Khan threatened to remove him from office.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers of Defence, Energy, Information and Broadcasting, Interior, Finance, Human Rights, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Services Chiefs, National Security Adviser and senior officers.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), NSA Moeed Yusuf briefed the committee about the "formal communication of a senior official of a foreign country" to Pakistan's ambassador in that country in a formal meeting which was subsequently conveyed.

"The committee expressed grave concern at the communication, terming the language used by the foreign official as undiplomatic," according to the statement. "The Committee concluded that the communication amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances."

The NSC decided that the protest should be launched with that country. "The Committee decided that Pakistan will issue a strong demarche to the country in question both in Islamabad and in the country's capital through proper channel in keeping with diplomatic norms," according to the statement.

The participants also endorsed the Cabinet's decision in the Special Cabinet meeting held on March 30 to take the parliament into confidence through an in-camera briefing of the National Security Committee of the Parliament.

The meeting comes a day after Khan shared some content of a letter - purportedly showing evidence of a foreign conspiracy to oust his government - with his cabinet members and a selected group of journalists. Khan waved the purported letter at a public rally on March 27 and claimed that a foreign conspiracy was afoot to remove him from power, touting the Opposition's no-confidence move against him as a testimony of "foreign funded" move to topple his government.

Several Opposition leaders had asked Khan to divulge the details of the letter while denouncing it as an effort to divert pressure and hold on to power. Pakistan's National Assembly session was on Thursday adjourned abruptly till Sunday after opposition lawmakers demanded an immediate vote on a no-confidence motion against Khan who has effectively lost majority in the lower house. PTI