RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG-ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar has confirmed the veracity of the diplomatic cable and said that ‘conspiracy’ was not mentioned in the National Security Committee’s (NSC) communique but ‘blatant inference’ into the internal affairs of Pakistan.
The spokesperson of the military’s media wing, Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar conducted an important press conference yesterday amid the current political turmoil. He once again clarified that the military has no political role in the country nor has any influence on the independent judiciary.
Regarding the alleged threat letter, he said that the communique of the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting did not use the word of conspiracy but blatant inference into the internal affairs, however, a demarche [a course of action, especially a political one or especially in diplomatic affairs] was given to the US diplomat which is a diplomatic terminology having different purposes but not only to lodge a protest with a country.
Former prime minister Imran Khan had claimed that a conspiracy was hatched to topple the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government by the United States (US) which was exposed via a diplomatic cable. The political rivals had termed the threat letter fake, however, the recent presser of the DG-ISPR proved the veracity of the threat letter, however, he rejected the claims of any kind of conspiracy.
Moreover, the DG-ISPR said that military bases were not sought by any country but if it was demanded, they would definitely say ‘absolutely not’.
In June 2021, then prime minister Imran Khan had replied ‘absolutely not’ to the interviewer who questioned whether Pakistan will allow the US to carry out counter-terrorism operations by using its military bases. Imran Khan’s statement made headlines of global media for his strong stance.
In January 2012, a Twitter message of Imran Khan had stated, “US: We will be your friend, not your slave. We will help you withdraw from Afghanistan, but will not launch military operation for you”
US: We will be your friend, not your slave. We will help you withdraw from Afghanistan, but will not launch military operation for you
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 10, 2012
A New York Times (NYT) article published on June 6 had also claimed that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns had travelled to Pakistan for meetings with Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and ISI Director General Lt Gen Faiz Hamid to explore the possibility of counterterrorism cooperation between the two sides.
Dawn News quoted the government officials confirming a secret visit of the CIA director to Pakistan and he was firmly told that Pakistan would not host the spy agency’s drone bases on its territory. The government and military did not issue any denial of the meeting.
The article has hinted at US contact with Pakistani top political and military brass for getting military bases but was denied.
However, the latest development has given answers to many questions but some are yet to come.