Pakistan government to probe Imran Khan’s claims of ‘foreign conspiracy’ in his ouster

Khan, who was ousted from office in early April through a Parliament vote, accused the US of conspiring to dislodge his government, citing communication from the country’s ambassador in Washington

Imran Khan- File photo

PTI

Islamabad, May 5

The Pakistan government on Thursday said ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s claim that he was removed from office as a result of “foreign conspiracy” will be probed by an official inquiry commission which will report directly to the Federal Cabinet, according to a media report.

At a press briefing here, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the inquiry commission will be headed by an impartial person and none would be able to “raise a finger” on his credibility, Samaa News reported.

The minister said the inquiry report will be made public and the commission’s terms of reference would be laid down at the Federal Cabinet’s next meeting.

The Pakistan Muslim League-N leader said Imran Khan came up with the foreign conspiracy angle to hide “mammoth corruption” during his tenure, the report said.

Khan, who was ousted from office in early April through a Parliament vote, accused the US of conspiring to dislodge his government, citing communication from the country’s ambassador in Washington. The US government has bluntly denied the allegations multiple times.

Aurangzeb said Rs 847 million (USD 4.56 million) was found in 44 bank accounts created between 2018 and 222 and more such fraud accounts were expected to be found.

“Most accounts were created in Punjab in the name of Farah Gogi,” she said.

Farah Khan, also known as ‘Farah Gogi’ and ‘Farhat Shehzadi’, was considered extremely powerful during Khan’s tenure as prime minister as she was known as the only person to have direct access to Bushra Bibi - Khan’s spiritual guide and third wife married in 2018.

Early last month, Farah left for Dubai following reports that she could be arrested if a new government is installed in Pakistan. Her husband Ahsan Jamil Gujjar had already left for the US.

The Opposition alleged Farah received huge sums of money for getting officers transferred and posted according to their choices, calling it the “mother of all scandals”.

Maryam Nawaz, the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) vice president and deposed premier Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, claimed Farah did these corrupt dealings at the behest of Imran Khan and his wife.

At the press meet, Aurangzeb further said the Al-Qadir University being constructed near Islamabad also had financial irregularities.

The information minister dubbed the Opposition party claims of foreign conspiracy “a spectacle” and said Imran Khan cannot hide his incompetence behind such speculation.

All of these allegations are part of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Gogi Bachao (rescue Gogi) movement, Samaa News quoted the minister as saying.

After Khan’s unceremonious exit, PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif, 70 assumed the office of the prime minister on April 11. The term of the current House ends in August, 2023.