The Pakistani Foreign Ministry summoned the Chargé d'Affairs of the US ambassador to protest against the United States' support for the opposition's efforts to overthrow Prime Minister Imran Khan, who accused the West of working to bring him down because he refused to align against Russia.

Al-Jazeera correspondent in Islamabad reported that the Pakistani Foreign Ministry summoned the Chargé d'Affairs of the US Embassy in Islamabad.

The summons came to protest what happened between US officials and Pakistan's ambassador in Washington.

The correspondent stated that the American side expressed its support for the opposition's project of no-confidence against the government of Imran Khan.

The Pakistani opposition is seeking to topple Khan by no-confidence in his government in Parliament.

The opposition accuses Khan of economic mismanagement in light of accelerating inflation, a weak rupee, and differences over his foreign policy.

The government is also facing a growing threat from the Pakistani Taliban, which announced on Wednesday its intention to launch an "attack" on security forces at the start of Ramadan.


khan defies

In a televised address on Thursday, Khan said he would not resign before a vote to oust him is held on Sunday.

Khan added that a "Western country" supports his ouster because he visited Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin last month.

Khan lost his numerical majority in parliament after his main ally withdrew from the government on Wednesday.

Bloomberg news agency reported that the opposition, led by former President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, collected 196 votes, more than the 172 votes needed to oust Khan.

But Khan defied his opponents, saying, "I will fight to the end, and (I will defeat) these conspiracies."

Imran Khan added, "Some people are asking me to resign. Why should I resign? I don't resign, I just play the game to the end and we wait until Sunday to see what the vote will be in Parliament," adding that if the opposition's attempts succeed, future generations will not forgive.

He said, "I spend on my house from my own money, and I live in my house, and I did not build factories like (former Prime Minister) Nawaz Sharif... I do not practice the politics of favoritism for my relatives."

Imran Khan accused the United States of trying to interfere in his country's affairs by supporting opposition parties, stressing, "I will never allow the opposition to succeed."

The Pakistani Prime Minister said that he saw his country rise among countries and then collapse and reach a low and humiliating level among the rest of the world, as he put it.

He stressed that Pakistan's foreign policy should be independent and not aligned against anyone.