'Threat letter controvery': Qureshi 'categorically' denies allegations of Foreign Office involvement

ISLAMABAD:  Amid the ongoing "threat letter" controversy,  PTI leader and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday denied the allegations regarding the involvement of the Foreign Ministry in it.

A day earlier,  PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz had accused the foreign office of its involvement in a fake letter controversy.

Maryam was referring to the "threat" letter Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed was sent to him by a foreign diplomat. The premier first flashed the letter during a jalsa in Islamabad, while later said that the United States was trying to remove him from power and had conspired with the Opposition. The no-confidence motion against him was part of the same controversy, the PM had maintained.

Addressing a press conference alongside former planning and development minister Asad Umar, Qureshi said that he categorically denies the allegations that the letter was manufactured in the Foreign Office.

"This is the version of the Opposition, but I refute it," he told journalists. "This letter is very real, therefore, do not create ambiguity around this matter."

Maryam had also said that soon after showing off the "fake letter," the PTI government transferred the ambassador, who had received the letter, to Belgium.

"We posted the ambassador in Brussels because he was well-versed," Qureshi said. "I have no idea who tells these things to Maryam."

Qureshi maintained that all those who had been working for the foreign ministry were "highly professional".

'Very serious matter and cannot be ignored'

Responding to Maryam's allegations that PM Imran Khan used the platform of the National Security Committee (NSC) for his personal interests, Qureshi clarified that the NSC itself had instructed the government to call the members of the National Assembly for a meeting to discuss the "threat" memo.

He said that the speaker invited the MNAs but the Opposition refused to attend the meeting.

"Now all those people, who had been invited to the meeting but did not show up, are asking questions [related to the authenticity of the threat memo]."

Qureshi continued: "This is a very serious matter and cannot be ignored."

'PTI did not run away from the vote of no-confidence'

The ex-foreign minister said that bringing about the no-confidence motion was the right of the Opposition, therefore, the matter — in light of the ongoing situation — is being heard at the Supreme Court.

"We [the PTI] did not run away from the vote of no-confidence, but the issue of the threat memo must be dealt with first," he said. "There is plotting and planning behind the vote of no-confidence, and the masses want to know the truth."

He said that the people of Pakistan want to know who were the people involved in this conspiracy. "Some people even held meetings abroad."

Regarding the allegation of the Opposition that barring its members from voting on the no-trust motion was a violation of the Constitution, Qureshi said that "no one is ignorant of the Constitution and the ruling was not passed out of the blue."

"We all are bound to abide by the Constitution and the deputy speaker is of the view that the matter related to the foreign conspiracy must be investigated," he said. "The deputy speaker has not violated the Constitution, he merely suggested further probe into the issue."

Qureshi said that the PTI government's lawyers will present their points of view in this regard before the apex court.

"Following that, the top court could interpret whether the deputy speaker's ruling was within the ambit of the Constitution or not. I cannot say anything about what decision it would take."

'Opposition bought loyalties of PTI MNAs'

Regarding losing the majority in the assembly, Qureshi said that the Opposition had bought the loyalties of some PTI MNAs to complete their numbers.

"The Opposition tried to prove that it had the required 172 members. According to the Constitution, the prime minister can dissolve the assemblies at any given point of time," he said.

He said that since the assemblies have been dissolved, the election commission is bound to hold the polls within 90 days as per the Constitution.