Frame the Globe News | Waqas Ahmed, Murtaza Hussain, Ryan Grim
A classified Pakistani diplomatic cable, designated I-0678 and dated March 7, 2022, was publicly released by Drop Site News on May 17, 2026, revealing US pressure for the removal of then-Prime Minister Imran Khan. The cable documented a meeting where US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu reportedly indicated improved US-Pakistan relations if Khan was ousted. This disclosure, part of a broader investigation into the five-year US-Pakistan relationship, highlights a significant rupture beginning with Khan's 2021 refusal of US drone bases. Following Khan's April 2022 no-confidence vote, the subsequent military-backed government reversed his policies, aligning with US interests by supplying artillery to Ukraine, signing a defense pact with Saudi Arabia, and stalling the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor's second phase. The investigation also notes former President Trump's private urging of General Asim Munir to resolve Khan's detention. Ironically, the generals who engineered Khan's removal to mend ties with Washington are now lauded for mediating between the US and Iran, a role requiring the independent foreign policy stance Khan was removed for attempting. This exposes the strategic maneuvering behind Pakistan's current diplomatic 'triumph'.
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