MOSCOW: Russia's foreign ministry says the United States has punished Prime Minister Imran Khan for not canceling a visit to Russia.
A statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the United States and its Western allies had pressured Prime Minister Imran Khan to cancel his visit to Russia in February.
The Russian Foreign Ministry further said that in the midst of Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Russia, US Deputy Secretary of State for South Asia Donald Leo had demanded immediate cancellation of the visit by summoning Pakistan's Ambassador to Washington which was rejected.
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Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement that it was clear from the situation after Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Russia that the United States had decided to punish the "disobedient" Imran Khan for disobeying. A no-confidence motion was filed against the Prime Minister in Parliament.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was a shameful attempt by the United States to interfere in the affairs of an independent state in pursuit of its own selfish ends.