Allegations of US Regime Change Operations in Pakistan & Bangladesh
Reports suggest that two former leaders of significant South Asian countries have accused the United States of covertly orchestrating regime change operations to overthrow their governments. These leaders are former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently in prison, and former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, who fled to India following a violent coup in her country. Their serious allegations against the U.S. have been reported in global media and call for an investigation by the United Nations. If these allegations are true, they would signify a fundamental threat to global peace and regional stability in South Asia. The two cases appear to be strikingly similar, with strong evidence of U.S. involvement in the overthrow of Imran Khan's government, suggesting a similar scenario may have occurred in Bangladesh.
Case of Pakistan
In the case of Pakistan, a meeting took place between Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia and Central Asia, and Asad Majeed Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S., on March 7, 2022. Ambassador Khan reported back to his capital, relaying Lu’s warning that PM Khan’s "aggressively neutral position" on Russia and Ukraine threatened U.S.-Pakistan relations. The next day, members of the parliament initiated steps to oust PM Khan.
On March 27, PM Khan publicized the cypher, accusing the U.S. of plotting his downfall. On April 10, PM Khan was removed from office as the parliament succumbed to the U.S. threat. The details of these events are known due to Ambassador Khan’s cypher, exposed by PM Khan and documented by Ryan Grim of The Intercept. PM Khan is currently in prison, partly due to espionage charges linked to his revelation of the cypher.
Case of Bangladesh
The U.S. is also suspected to have played a similar role in the recent violent coup in Bangladesh. PM Hasina was reportedly overthrown by student unrest, and fled to India when the Bangladeshi military did not prevent the protestors from storming the government offices. However, there might be more to the story.
According to Indian press reports, PM Hasina alleges that the U.S. was responsible for her downfall. She claims that the U.S. removed her from power because she refused to grant the U.S. military facilities in a region that is considered strategic for the U.S. in its "Indo-Pacific Strategy" to contain China. These accounts align with several speeches and statements that Hasina has made over the past two years.
UN Investigation Needed
The U.S. is known for conducting regime-change operations, but it consistently denies its role in such operations, even when caught in the act. Therefore, it is crucial for the UN to step in. Covert regime change operations are illegal under international law and pose a significant threat to global peace as they destabilize nations and often lead to wars and civil disorders. The UN should investigate and expose covert regime change operations to prevent them in the future.
The UN Security Council, under Article 24 of the UN Charter, holds the "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security." Therefore, when evidence arises that a government has been overthrown through the intervention or complicity of a foreign government, the UN Security Council should investigate the claims.
Bottom Line
In the cases of Pakistan and Bangladesh, the UN Security Council should seek direct testimony from PM Khan and PM Hasina to evaluate the evidence of U.S. involvement in the overthrow of their governments. The U.S. might veto such an investigation in the UN Security Council. In that case, the UN General Assembly can take up the matter, allowing the entire membership of the UN to assess the issues. The truth of U.S. involvement in the recent regime changes in Pakistan and Bangladesh can then be objectively analyzed and judged based on evidence, rather than mere assertions and denials.
The U.S. has been involved in at least 64 covert regime change operations from 1947-1989, according to research by Lindsey O’Rourke, a political science professor at Boston College. It continues to engage in regime-change operations frequently, toppling governments worldwide. It is unrealistic to expect the U.S. to abide by international law on its own, but it is not unrealistic for the global community, which has long suffered from U.S. regime change operations, to demand their end at the United Nations.
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