Islamabad, (Samajweekly) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan claims that there is a deliberate attempt to oust his government using the no-confidence motion as part of a US-led foreign conspiracy, aimed at a regime change in the country.
Khan claims that he received a clear threatening letter, part of a diplomatic cable by then Pakistani Ambassador in Washington Asad Majeed, clearly stating that the US warned of dire consequences if Imran Khan’s government is not taken off power through the no-confidence motion, tabled in the National Assembly of Pakistan, submitted by Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif.
Khan claims that opposition parties became part of the foreign conspiracy against him and became handlers of the regime change attempt by the US, a claim that the US has rejected while the Opposition parties have termed it as baseless.
But Khan seems to be carrying the anti-US narrative forward as he plans to reach out to the masses through protests and rallies while he formulates strategies to dissolve the assemblies at the earliest to push the country towards early elections.
The anti-American narrative is being presented with the justification that Khan has emerged as the only leader who has refused to be a ‘slave’ to western policies and dictation, a narrative that is being received well by an emotionally charged support that Khan enjoys in the public domain.
Slogans of “death to America” have been raised in rallies of Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and even in the Prime Minister’s house during a recent banquet of the PTI Cabinet members.
But the question is will this narrative ensure victory for Khan in the early general elections? The answer is no.
It is pertinent to mention here that any ruling political set-up in Pakistan relies on three main pillars in order to ensure that the candidate or the political party is eligible to lead the country, which are:
* Political standing among the masses
* Relationship with the military establishment
* Clarity on foreign policy of the country
It is also an undeniable fact that Pakistan’s relationship with the US and the Western countries holds pivotal value for the country because not only is the US the biggest trade destination for Pakistan, but also because Pakistan is a relevant and important ally to the US, especially in terms of its military-level ties.
Pakistan for long has been the eyes and ears of the US in the region and has facilitated important route access and support in Afghanistan.
Keeping the above in view, Khan’s anti-US narrative may be a good option for domestic consumption and pressure building tactics, but it may not be the best option for him if he intends to see himself back in power.
It is the same reason why Imran Khan’s lost support of the military establishment, which was seen coming to the rescue on the country’s foreign policy statement, clearly highlighting that the country has “long and excellent” relations with the US, a statement seen as a damage control guarantee by the military establishment to the West.
