Lettergate: Imran Khan demands open hearing in Supreme Court

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday demanded that the Supreme Court should conduct an open hearing into the matter relating to the “threatening” diplomatic cable a day after National Security Committee affirmed its existence, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference, the former PM said that the NSC meeting confirmed that the diplomatic cable exists and “I can confirm that the tone was quite patronising, and the threat was open and they clearly demanded removal of Imran Khan as PM”.

Imran Khan maintained that not only they (US) wanted his removal as PM but also made it clear that if the No-Confidence Motion fails, Pakistan will have to bear consequences.

He demanded that the Supreme Court of Pakistan should conduct an open hearing into the case so that all the characters behind this “conspiracy” be exposed.

Related: ‘No foreign conspiracy’: US welcomes NSC statement 

PTI chief deeply criticised the incumbent government and said that the “biggest tragedy of this whole episode” is that a government of crooks and thieves has been imposed after his government’s removal.

“They say there’s no conspiracy, I ask if imposing a govt of these crooks and thieves is not a conspiracy, what else is?” asked Imran Khan.

He added that even PML-N loyalists should think that in all these years, why their party hasn’t found a single person who is eligible to become PM or CM?.

The former PM, while answering a question, said that Shehbaz Sharif (now PM) had claimed that he will side with me if such a letter exists.

“Now I don’t want thieves like you to side with me but at least you should apologise (now that the existence of the letter is confirmed),” said Imran Khan.

Islamabad March

Imran Khan, who has done three massive rallies in Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore, said that his party will soon march towards Islamabad for “real independence” and asked all his workers to wait for his call for this all-important march.

“I have asked all our party’s committees to prepare for the march. The workers too should stay prepared as I will soon give a call,” said Imran Khan.

He announced that his party will observe Ramadan 27 (a possible Shab-e-Qadr) as “Shab-e-Dua” (Night of Prayers).

‘Put my name on ECL’

The PTI chief also demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja’s, by saying that his party believed him to be “biased”.

“All of this Election Commission’s (under Sikandar Raja) decisions are against PTI,” said Imran Khan.

About the recent changes in Exit Control List (ECL) rules, he said that he was not afraid of his name being put on the Exit Control List (ECL) because he did not want to go abroad like other political leaders.

“Please put my name on ECL, I don’t want to go abroad,” said Imran Khan.