Interference in internal affairs: Pakistan lodges protest with top US diplomat

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has registered a strong protest with the top US diplomat for interfering in the internal affairs of the country, citing sources, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Diplomatic sources told ARY News that the acting US Chargé d’affaires was summoned to the Foreign Office to lodge a strong protest over the interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan.

Pakistan has handed over the protest note to the acting US diplomat regarding the language used by a foreign official during a formal communication.

Sources added that the US diplomat was summoned to the Foreign Office (FO) following the directives of the National Security Committee (NSC).

NSC decision

Earlier in the day, Pakistan has decided to take the matter of the ‘threat letter’ diplomatically by issuing a strong demarche to the concerned country.

READ: ‘THREAT’ LETTER: PAKISTAN DECIDES TO TAKE UP THE MATTER DIPLOMATICALLY

Following the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting, Pakistan has decided to give a strong response to the ‘country’ for sending ‘threat letter’.

The declaration of the NSC meeting was released which was attended by federal ministers, the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) and Services Chiefs.

National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf briefed the participants on the formal communication of a senior official of a foreign country to Pakistan’s envoy in the said country in a formal meeting which was conveyed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

READ: JOURNALIST CLAIMS US BEHIND THREAT LETTER AGAINST PM IMRAN KHAN

The committee expressed serious concerns over the threatening memo of the communication of the foreign official, terming it undiplomatic and amounted to ‘blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances.’

Following the NSC approval, it was 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.

Moreover, the participants of the committee endorsed the decision taken in the special cabinet meeting chaired by PM Imran Khan to take the parliament into confidence through an in-camera briefing of the National Security Committee of the Parliament.