Confidential Pakistani diplomatic cables leaked publicly this week have reignited political controversy over former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s 2022 ouster, revealing that Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership were informed of unusually blunt US pressure linked to Khan’s Russia visit weeks before he was removed through a no-confidence vote.The classified cipher, which was made public by US-based investigative outlet Drop Site, records a meeting between Pakistan’s then ambassador and US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu amid escalating tensions over Khan’s foreign policy posture following his Moscow visit on the eve of the Ukraine war.“I think if the no confidence vote against the PM succeeds, all will be forgiven in Washington,” the cable quotes Lu as saying. It says if Khan survived politically, “it will be tough going ahead” and that his “isolation” from Europe and the US would be “very strong”. The cipher’s own internal “assessment” section said the US official “could not have conveyed such a strong demarche without the express approval of the White House”, and that he had spoken “out of turn on Pakistan’s internal political process”.The disclosures are likely to intensify scrutiny of the role played by Pakistan’s powerful military establishment during the political crisis that culminated in Khan’s removal in April 2022.Khan has long alleged that his government was toppled through a conspiracy involving Washington, opposition parties and sections of Pakistan’s military establishment — allegations repeatedly denied by both the US and the Pakistani military.While the leaked cables do not directly state that Pakistan’s military orchestrated Khan’s removal, they indicate that the country’s military leadership was fully aware of the diplomatic exchanges and the political pressure building around Khan’s independent foreign policy positions.The controversy centres largely around Khan’s visit to Moscow on February 24, 2022 — the day Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine — a move that reportedly triggered sharp concern in Washington and European capitals.The cable also records Pakistani officials complaining to the US about perceived double standards, noting that Washington appeared more tolerant of India’s position on Ukraine while taking a harder line against Pakistan.The latest disclosures come at a politically volatile moment in Pakistan, where Khan remains jailed and his party continues to face an intense state crackdown despite retaining significant popular support.