Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said his government handed an official protest to the U.S. embassy on Friday over what it called Washington's interference in the country's affairs.

"We now have given a demarche to (the) American embassy," Khan told local television channel ARY in an interview, referring to a diplomatic note over what he described as a foreign conspiracy to oust him from power. Faced with a tight no-confidence vote on Sunday that could see him ousted after defections from his ruling coalition, Khan had said on Thursday that a foreign country was conspiring against him after he visited Moscow in February. Khan met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the day Russian forces invaded neighbouring Ukraine.

Speaking on Thursday in a nationally televised address, Khan said a Western country had been unhappy about his Moscow visit. He mentioned the United States before smilingly correcting it to "a foreign country". But on Friday evening Khan named the United States, in his interview with ARY News TV.

The White House denied the United States had been seeking to remove Khan from power. The U.S. embassy in Islamabad did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Ruling party members in Pakistan led a protest against the United States in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Friday. In an unusual move, dozens of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ruling party figures, led by a provincial minister, rallied in the centre of Peshawar, chanting "Down with America!"

"We have come out to support Imran Khan who has challenged the capitalist forces," the minister, Taimur Jhagra, told the rally. "We will prefer hunger over a surrender to the U.S.," said another provincial lawmaker in the rally, Fazal Elahi. A handful of activists from an anti-America Shi'ite group also reacted to Khan's claims, holding a rally in Islamabad where they burned American flags.

Khan has said his government possessed an "official document" that was evidence of the conspiracy. The document was later described by the government as a formal communication of a "senior official of a foreign country to Pakistan's Ambassador in the said country in a formal meeting".

Khan added on Friday that he knew that a “foreign conspiracy” was being plotted in London to oust his government since August last year, reported The Express Tribune. “This game started in August (last year)… I received reports about people frequently visiting London from here (Pakistan)… and (also received) reports from agencies,” said the premier in an interview with a local TV channel on Friday.

Khan alleged that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who has been in London since 2019 for medical treatment, was conspiring against his government.

“He (Nawaz) was frequently holding meetings with individuals who are against military and held last meeting with Hussain Haqqani on March 3,” Khan added.

Khan had earlier said a "powerful country", which is supporting India, is angry with Pakistan because of his recent visit to Russia. Addressing the Islamabad Security Dialogue, Khan emphasised that an independent foreign policy was crucial for the country, and said the reason why Pakistan could not touch its peak potential was its dependency syndrome on other powerful nations.

"A county without an independent foreign policy remains unable to secure the interests of its people," he said. During his speech, Khan also praised India for its independent foreign policy that was centred around its people. "They protect their independent foreign policy," the Dawn newspaper quoted him as saying.

Khan said it was being said that Pakistan could not upset the US, but India due to its independent foreign policy was buying oil from Russia. "The US says it cannot say anything to India due to its independent foreign policy, Imran said, adding that despite being a US ally, India was fostering ties with Russia.

He said as per the US, India was a sovereign state, so what are we then? he asked. Khan said taking independent decisions while keeping high the interests of a nation was extremely important rather than submitting to the will of other countries in exchange for foreign aid.

Referring to the US, Khan said a "powerful country" had expressed displeasure over his recent visit to Russia, the official APP news agency reported. "On the other hand, it is supporting its ally India which imports oil from Russia, he rued.

Khan's comments came a day after Pakistan summoned the Acting US envoy in Islamabad to the Foreign Ministry over a "threatening" letter and an alleged foreign-funded plot against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government led by Khan.

The US diplomat was summoned hours after the country's top decision-making body on national security voiced concern over the issue during a meeting chaired by Khan on Thursday.

Khan met President Putin in the Kremlin on February 24, the day the Russian President ordered a "special military operation" against Ukraine.

Pakistan's ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US has further pushed the country towards Russia and China.

US President Joe Biden is yet to make a customary call to Prime Minister Khan since he assumed office in January 2021. In his speech, Khan said his government has pursued an independent foreign policy.

"How come a country can interfere in the affairs of an independent State," he said. "But not to blame them, as it is our fault because we gave them this impression." He said for its own interest, Pakistan's elite threw the nation to the altar and put its self-respect at stake.

Last month, Pakistan abstained from voting in United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling on Russia to stop the war against Ukraine, and urged that the conflict be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Khan has been claiming that the Opposition's no-confidence motion against him was the result of a foreign conspiracy because of his independent foreign policy and funds were being channelled from abroad to oust him from power.

The 69-year-old embattled prime minister on Wednesday effectively lost majority in Parliament after Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), a key partner of the ruling coalition, joined the ranks of the Opposition, which had tabled a no-confidence motion against his government in the National Assembly. The crucial vote on the no-confidence motion will take place on Sunday.

Taking a jibe at the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, Khan said: Those who are preparing to get to the Prime Minister's Office are giving interviews that my statements will piss off America and Pakistan cannot survive without its support.

The prime minister said the decisions of previous politicians have led to a situation where no foreign country respects Pakistan. "They order us. They say that if the no-confidence motion does not become successful, there will be consequences for Pakistan," he said.

With inputs from Reuters and PTI