- Civil, Military leadership decides to lodge diplomatic protest over lettergate
ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee (NSC) on Thursday said that the communication of a senior official of a foreign country to Pakistan’s Ambassador “amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of the country by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances”.
This was stated in an official press release issued shortly after Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the 37th meeting of the NSC on Thursday at the PM’s House.
Later in the day, the foreign office said that the demarches were made to the foreign country as decided by the top civilian and military leadership.
“As decided in the National Security Committee meeting held on March 31, 2022, the requisite demarches have been made through diplomatic channels,” said a statement issues by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A source said that the Charge d’affaires of the US was summoned to the MoFA and protest was recorded as agreed by the NSC.
The NSC 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 Khan failed.
National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf briefed the committee on the formal communication of a senior official of a foreign country to Pakistan’s Ambassador in the said country in a formal meeting, which was duly conveyed by the Ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statement said that the NSC expressed grave concern at the communication, terming the language used by the foreign official as undiplomatic.
The committee concluded that the communication amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances.
The statement said that it decided that Pakistan will issue a strong demarche to the country in question both in Islamabad and in the country’s capital through proper channel in keeping with diplomatic norms.
Participants also endorsed the cabinet’s decision in the special cabinet meeting held on March 30, 2022 under the prime minister’s chairmanship to take parliament into confidence through an in-camera briefing of the NSC of parliament.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers of Defence, Energy, Information & Broadcasting, Interior, Finance, Human Rights, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Services Chiefs, National Security Adviser and senior officers.
