Pakistan PM Imran Khan claims US helping local parties oust him from office

Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has claimed that the United States is trying to oust him from power ahead of a parliamentary no-confidence vote against him on 3 April.

Khan made the comments on Thursday in a 40-minute televised address to the nation.

During his address, Khan claims Pakistan received a letter from the United States - which he quickly revised to “a foreign country” - that sought to remove him from office.

"America ney ik ...America nahi bahar se mulk..matalb kis aur mulk se..(America...no not America some other country)", Pakistan PM Imran Khan during his address to nation indicating foreign hand in destabilizing his govt. pic.twitter.com/5Npq1fTbjg

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) March 31, 2022

“If the vote of no confidence succeeds, we will forgive you. If it does not succeed, and Imran Khan remains the prime minister, then Pakistan will be in a difficult situation,” he claimed the letter read.

Khan said opposition parties, who have accused him of bad governance and poor economic policies, tabled the no-confidence motion at the behest of the United States.

After US State Department, the White House also dismisses allegation by PM Imran Khan that Biden administration trying to oust him from power. ‘There’s absolutely no truth to that allegation.’ #AbsolutelyYes #AbsolutelyNot pic.twitter.com/Qr7WBToceh

— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) March 31, 2022

In response to Khan's claim, a State Department spokesperson said that "there is absolutely no truth to that allegation".

Pakistan’s normally fractured opposition parties have put aside their differences to oust Khan as the country’s prime minister. Rising inflation exacerbated by Russia’s war in Ukraine as well as the loss of backing from the military and political allies has put Khan in a vulnerable position ahead of Sunday's vote.