Govt, opposition narratives partially endorsed, partly rejected

ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee meeting held on Friday rejected both PTI’s narrative of a US ‘conspiracy’ and the ruling allies’ view that the diplomatic cable was simply a lie.

The NSC’s conclusion during the last two meetings --one held on Friday under Shehbaz Sharif and the other held under Imran Khan during the last days of the PTI government --remained unchallenged.

What cannot be denied is that the diplomatic cable was a fact, it was offensive towards Pakistan and, for the same reason, the NSC under Imran Khan decided to issue a demarche to the US. The latest NSC meeting reaffirmed the decision of its previous meeting.

The NSC under Imran Khan also discussed the issue of a conspiracy but the security agencies had told the meeting that there was no evidence available to reach such a conclusion.

During the Imran Khan government, the NSC press release issued had highlighted the fact that what the US had conveyed to Pakistan was offensive in nature and therefore the decision of issuing a demarche to the US was taken. There was no mention in the IK government’s press release that the NSC did not find any evidence of a conspiracy.

Today, the press releases issued by the Shehbaz Sharif government on the NSC meeting squarely focused on the Committee’s decision that there was no conspiracy involved. The press release did not mention that the diplomatic communication was a fact and was offensive to Pakistan.

Despite the NSC‘s conclusion during his government and even after the DG ISPR’s press conference rejecting the conspiracy, Imran Khan continues to press his narrative that he has been ousted from power by a US conspiracy implemented with the help of local actors.

The then opposition and currently the government allies, including the PMLN, PPP, JUIF and others, while rejecting Imran Khan’s claim had also contended that the diplomatic communication was a lie. Imran Khan’s opponents had also termed the cable ‘fake’ or forged at the foreign office.

The News, however, on April 6 had reported that the diplomatic cable referred to as a “threatening communication” was a fact but there was no evidence of a “conspiracy”. It was reported by this newspaper that the “conspiracy” issue linked with the “threatening communication” from the US State Department was discussed in the National Security Committee meeting but because there was no evidence to substantiate this serious allegation, the committee restricted itself only to the issue of a demarche to the US.

There was a consensus in the security committee meeting under Imran Khan to issue a demarche to the US for what it had said about the PTI government. The civilian side had raised the issue of a conspiracy, but the military side insisted that there is no evidence and it could not be declared a ‘conspiracy’ on the basis of conjectures.

It was, however, unanimously decided by the committee to issue the demarche because what was conveyed on behalf of the US administration was both inappropriate and offensive to Pakistan.