Pakistan NSC says 'no evidence' of foreign conspiracy

The Pakistan National Security Committee has reiterated that there was no foreign conspiracy to topple the Imran Khan-led government. "The NSC discussed the telegram received from the Pakistan embassy in Washington. Pakistan's former ambassador to the US briefed the committee on the context and content of his telegram," it stated. It was attended by former Pakistan ambassador to the United States Asad Majeed, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar and senior civil and military officers.

The statement by the NSC comes as former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has launched a campaign, claiming that his government was ousted by a "foreign conspiracy". To back his claim, Imran has continuously referred to a cable sent by Pakistan's former ambassador to the US, Asad Majeed, which he said contains evidence of the conspiracy to topple his government. 

As per Dawn report, this is the second time in many months that the NSC has held a meeting to review the contents of the cable sent by Majeed. In March, the NSC had decided to issue a strong demarche   to a  country, that it did not name, over what it said was "blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan". Meanwhile, former foreign minister and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the PTI's stance had been strengthened after Friday's NSC meeting. Speaking to the media, he said that today’s meeting had endorsed the viewpoint of the meeting held in March.

"Bilawal and Maryam were saying that this document was fabricated, not based on facts and drafted in the Foreign Office. Today, the NSC endorsed the document after receiving a briefing from the former envoy which proves that it was based on facts and was correct." "Today, the current government has further damaged its credibility and the people's trust," he said, adding that it was becoming clear that this was a “cover up attempt”. Qureshi also called for the formation of a judicial commission to probe the matter by conducting an open hearing.