Imran Khan’s US Conspiracy theory gains traction as more Pakistanis join his rally after he was ousted in a no-confidence vote.
Pakistan was being dominated by “traitors” placed by a “foreign conspiracy” organized in the United States, according to the ousted Pakistani Prime Minister.
Khan was speaking early Thursday in Islamabad, the country’s capital, at what he described as the “largest-ever protest” in the country’s history after demonstrators battled with police forces and he was forced to call off the event.
But there was a catch: his announcement came with a warning: “I’m giving this newly installed administration six days to call new elections. Otherwise, I’ll return to Islamabad with a population of 2 million people.”
The crowd erupted in rapturous applause and screams of fury against the US and the current Pakistani regime.
Khan’s assertions of a US-led plot against him have been a feature of his rallies across Pakistan in an attempt to reclaim power following his dismissal in a legislative no-confidence vote on April 10.
The assertions have resonated with a young populace in a country where anti-American attitude is widespread and anti-establishment sentiment is driven by growing living costs.
However, Khan’s detractors believe that there is a flaw in his claims: there is no evidence of a conspiracy.
Both the US and Pakistan’s military have categorically disputed Khan’s claims, and the former Prime Minister has declined to provide any evidence to support them.
“Imran Khan is trying to tap into anti-American sentiments to mobilize support,” said Maleeha Lodhi, a former Pakistani ambassador to the US and the United Nations. Khan’s “loyal band of supporters [are] ready to discard facts and believe his foreign conspiracy narrative even though there isn’t a shred of evidence to support it.”