ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) at the Prime Minister’s House in the afternoon, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday.
وزیر اعظم نے نیشنل سیکیورٹی کمیٹی کا اجلاس طلب کر لیا، اجلاس آج بعد دوپہر وزیر اعظم ہاؤس میں ہو گا
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 31, 2022
The NSC, which is the highest forum for coordination on security issues, is chaired by the prime minister and includes key federal ministers, the national security adviser, services chiefs and top intelligence officials.
The meeting was summoned in light of an alleged threat letter by a foreign government that had warned Pakistan of consequences if the no-confidence motion against PM Imran failed.
The development comes a day after it became clear that the prime minister had lost his majority in the National Assembly (NA) following the MQM-P’s decision to support the joint opposition in the no-trust resolution against the prime minister.
Yesterday, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) met PM Imran twice after which some ministers claimed that neither the premier had been asked to resign nor would he opt for it.
In a tweet, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar stated: “If the parliamentary leaders from the government and the opposition side agree, the issue of the sensitive letter can be discussed at an in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.”
If the Parliamentry leaders from Government and Opposition side agree, the issue of the sensitive letter can be discussed at in camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.
— Asad Qaiser (@AsadQaiserPTI) March 30, 2022
“An in-camera session of the National Assembly or a joint sitting of parliament will be held in which the letter will be shared not only with the treasury benchers but also with those MNAs sitting on the opposition benches,” Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said. The National Assembly session will resume today at 4pm after a recess of three days.
Letter controversy
PM Imran had convened the urgent cabinet meeting to discuss the issue of an ‘international conspiracy’ being hatched to topple his government through a secret letter – that he waved during his address at the party’s March 27 rally in Islamabad.
The cabinet ministers were shown the letter by the prime minister on a teleprompter, whereas the journalists were not shown the letter but its contents were shared with them in separate meetings. The letter has been sealed under the Official Secrecy Act.
On Sunday, during his party’s public rally, the PM brandished a ‘secret letter’ as evidence of a “foreign conspiracy” to oust him, asking his party dissidents, as well as disgruntled PTI allies, to change their minds and avoid becoming part of a “foreign plot” against him.
“Foreign funding is being used to change the government. Money is coming from abroad and people inside the country are being used. Some of them are unaware they are being used and some are intentionally using this money against us,” he had alleged.
In a joint press conference on Tuesday, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar and Information Minister Chaudhry said the prime minister had agreed to present the letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.
“If someone has doubts, the prime minister says if necessary, and for the people’s satisfaction, he is ready to present the letter to the chief justice of the SC, as he enjoys a good reputation,” Umar said, adding that only three to four people, including him, had seen the letter.
