Desk: The United States has reiterated that Pakistan’s political affairs are an internal matter for its people, as a fresh wave of debate emerges over a leaked diplomatic cable linked to the 2022 removal of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The renewed discussion has been triggered by reports referencing a so-called “cypher” or diplomatic cable allegedly documenting a conversation between a Pakistani envoy and a senior official from the U.S. State Department in March 2022. According to accounts circulating in media reports, the conversation reflected American displeasure with the then-government in Islamabad and suggested that bilateral ties could improve if a change in leadership occurred through constitutional means such as a no-confidence motion.
The resurfaced claims have once again fueled political controversy in Pakistan, where Imran Khan and his supporters have long maintained that his removal from office was influenced by external pressure. Khan has repeatedly alleged that foreign involvement played a role in the parliamentary process that led to his ouster in April 2022.
However, both the United States and the Pakistani establishment have consistently rejected allegations of direct interference. Washington has maintained that it does not support or oppose any particular political party or leader in Pakistan, and has described leadership changes in the country as a matter decided through its constitutional and democratic processes.
In its latest response, the U.S. State Department has reiterated that Pakistan’s internal political developments are solely for the Pakistani people to determine, distancing itself from renewed interpretations of the leaked document.
The controversy continues to remain a sensitive issue in Pakistan’s political discourse, periodically resurfacing amid ongoing tensions between civilian leadership debates and broader questions of civil-military relations.
While the authenticity and interpretation of the leaked cable remain subjects of political dispute, the episode has once again highlighted the complex and often contested nature of Pakistan–U.S. relations, particularly during periods of domestic political transition.