Court cautions Pakistan PM Imran Khan against sharing 'secret' letter
The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday cautioned Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan against sharing the contents of the 'secret' letter that he has been claiming as proof of a foreign conspiracy to unseat him. The court reportedly said the PM should abide by the Official Secrets Act oath taken by him. This comes as Khan is facing a no-confidence motion in the country's Parliament.
Why does this story matter?
The development is considered to be a major jolt for Imran Khan as he wanted to use the letter to gain support and public sympathy. Notably, the no-trust vote against PM Khan is expected to take place on April 3. Khan has already lost the majority in the lower house of Parliament after his government's coalition partner Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan withdrew their support.
What did the court say?
The court said it is confident that the PM would not "disclose any information or act in breach of Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923." However, it cautioned that any decision taken by the PM has to be in "consonance with his obligations under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and in letter and spirit of the oath of the office.
Court refrained from issuing restraining order
The High Court further expressed its "trust" and "confidence" in the PM that he "would not reveal any information which may be prejudicial to the national interest and national integrity of Pakistan." However, it did not issue any restraining order, observing that "passing a restraining order would unjustifiably reflect lack of confidence in an elected prime minister."
What is there in the 'secret' letter?
The letter is reportedly an internal communication, which states that a Pakistani envoy was told by a senior official of the host country that they had issues with Khan's foreign policy. The senior official also said that the future trajectory of relations between the two countries was contingent upon the fate of the no-confidence motion which was at a planning stage at that time.
The communication was from US diplomat: Report
According to reports, the internal communication was sent by Pakistan's former Ambassador to the United States Asad Majeed on the basis of his meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu. However, Washington has denied it, saying no US government agency or official had sent a letter to Pakistan on the current political situation in the country.
