Bilawal Bhutto says Imran Khan dragged ‘state bodies’ into politics

Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called upon ‘state institutions’ to clarify their position on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s claim that the National Security Committee (NSC) has endorsed his allegation that opposition parties were part of the “foreign conspiracy” to topple his government.

“Imran Khan used the national security forum for political gains and now he is making the country’s foreign policy controversial,” Bilawal said while referring to the NSC meeting held last month which expressed grave concern over the alleged ‘threating letter’.

“If a serious conspiracy was being hatched against Pakistan then [issuing] a demarche was not an adequate response,” he said, adding that the NSC press release did not mention PM Imran’s claim of the foreign conspiracy.

The NSC meeting held last month was chaired by PM Imran and attended by federal ministers for defence, energy, information, interior, finance, human rights and planning, besides Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, services chiefs, national security adviser and senior officers.

The committee expressed grave concern at the communication, terming the language used by the foreign official undiplomatic.

It was decided that Pakistan would issue a strong demarche to the country in question both in Islamabad and in that country’s capital through a proper channel.

Consequent to that meeting, the Foreign Ministry lodged a formal protest with the US. The acting US envoy in Islamabad was summoned to the ministry and handed the demarche. The US was told that the use of such undiplomatic language was unacceptable.

The PPP leader also said that Premier Imran dragged institutions into politics for his vested interest when they decided to remain neutral and “were becoming apolitical”.

“Did the NSC with all the highest-ranking military officials meet the prime minister who lost majority agree to declare entire opposition traitor and part of the foreign conspiracy,” he added.

Bilawal said the PPP along with other opposition parties will stage protests across the country if clarification was not issued on this matter.

“We demand them all those who attended the meeting except PM Imran issue clarification as soon as possible.”