Imran Khan cites decade-old ‘Memogate’ scandal in plea earlier than Pak Supreme Court

Pakistan’s embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court to arrange a Memogate-style judicial fee to probe an alleged “foreign conspiracy” to topple his democratically-elected authorities.

The Memogate concerned Pakistan’s then-ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, who was alleged to have written an unsigned letter to a high-ranking American official in May 2011, exposing severe rifts between the then Pakistan Peoples Party-led authorities and the highly effective Army.

Khan has repeatedly claimed {that a} vote of no-confidence towards him within the National Assembly, tabled by the Opposition, was a part of a US-led conspiracy to take away him, however the US has denied this.

In a controversial transfer that has roiled the nation, members of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf get together on Sunday blocked a vote of no-confidence within the Prime Minister and bought the President to dissolve Parliament.

Furious opposition politicians have now filed a petition to the Supreme Court to rule on whether or not the transfer to dam the vote was constitutional. The apex courtroom was initially anticipated to determine by the tip of Monday, however delayed the choice till Thursday.

“It is the genuine aspiration/desire of the answering Respondent [Imran Khan] that this honourable court which has taken cognisance of this matter should hold inquisitorial proceedings as done in the “Memogate case” and constitute a high-powered commission of judges of the Superior Court.

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The Supreme Court constituted a bench to hear the controversial Memogate case. In 2019, the apex court wrapped up the hearing.

Haqqani denies playing any part in drafting the unsigned memo which sought US help in the event of a military coup in Pakistan. Haqqani resigned after the memo caused an outcry among Pakistan’s military leadership.

In a statement of facts submitted to the apex court through his lawyers, Khan said the commission must analyse the incriminating evidence, take notice of the blatant horse-trading conducted by these corrupt politicians, some of whose family members are absconders of law and have taken refuge in safe heavens in the West.

Well-placed officials of foreign governments commonly known as the “West” expressed their displeasure with the independent approach adopted by Khan and his cabinet, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted the statement as saying.

“This was followed by sensitive communications as well as gathered most sensitive intelligence by the security agencies of Pakistan which manifested that the movement led by the opposition was no longer the indigenous or routine democratic effort, but was foreign sponsored,” it says.

It additionally alleges that the plot to unseat him was “aided as well as funded by those states which had become irritated/hostile to the struggle of the federal government to maintain an independent posture within the international community of the world.”

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Khan additionally states that varied info of the collected proof have been deliberated with nervousness and anguish throughout the assembly of the Cabinet. The identical was adopted by a gathering of the National Security Council (NSC) held on March, 31, 2022.

“In this meeting a full deliberation/analysis took place and the most sensitive evidence gathered in this regard was considered; satisfaction was expressed about its authenticity and the grave threat it posed to the integrity of Pakistan and its institutions.

“The members of the NSC have been satisfied that the ill-conceived motion of the opposition to dislodge the democratically elected authorities of the answering Respondent [Imran Khan] was overseas funded in addition to supported; the item thereof was to defeat the nationwide and worldwide priorities fastened by the state of Pakistan,” based on the assertion.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League Vice-President Maryam Nawaz has accused Khan of utilizing the NSC assembly to avoid wasting his “incompetent” authorities and to remain in energy for just a few extra days.

She additionally demanded that the safety companies who have been a part of the committee make clear their place on the alleged risk.

“The National Security Committee is not the Imran bachao (Save Imran) committee,” she acknowledged whereas addressing a information convention in Lahore on Tuesday.

She stated Khan used the “national forum for political agendas” and that he created a “fake image” that the institutes are with him, she stated.

“The letter, shown by the prime minister at the March 27 rally, was drafted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” she claimed.

She additional known as on the safety companies, whose heads had attended the NSC assembly in query, to make clear their place on the matter.

Nawaz stated that the primary character behind the so-called ‘threat letter’, former ambassador to the US Asad Majid, was transferred to Belgium only a day earlier than Khan got here up with the conspiracy drama to realize public sympathy.

Why is that this letter not introduced earlier than the Supreme Court and the nation? In reality there isn’t any such (risk) letter,” she stated.

“The letter was a drama. That is why the ambassador (Majid) was transferred to Brussels overnight. This drama has completely been exposed,” she added.

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