— We can even be friends with India if Kashmir issue is solved: PTI chief
— Terms PM’s consultation with ‘convict’ on COAS appointment violation of secret act
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Monday commented on his stance on diplomatic relations with the US, stating that he wanted Pakistan to be on friendly terms with all countries but would not accept slavery at any cost.
The deposed premier’s remarks came amid the hullabaloo in government quarters over his Financial Times interview in which he stated that he had put the ‘US conspiracy’ matter “behind him”.
“No sane man wants to have enemies. But we don’t want to be anyone’s slaves,” the PTI chief said at the march today.
“We can even be friends with India if the Kashmir issue is solved. But we won’t be slaves of anyone,” the former premier said in an address to the long march participants via video link. Imran said that he always wanted an independent foreign policy for Pakistan.
“The foreign policy we have right now does not protect the people of Pakistan. It instead saves the interest of other countries. We don’t want enmity with anyone … We want good relations with everyone, but not slavery at all,” he reiterated.
“A propaganda cell is feeding journalists. They pick up things that I say and purposely misinterpret them,” Imran said, adding that the cipher was in the NSC, parliament as well as with the president.
“What is the issue in this? When we say that we are moving forward, it means we want good relationships,” he made it clear.
“Our journalism has reached a point where even foreign journalists have to clarify their stories,” Imran added.
Earlier, speaking of rule of law, the PTI chief said the country could not progress until there was rule of law.
“Today, if you see the global index … countries where rule of law exists, you will see that all countries on the top slots are the most prosperous. Pakistan, on the other hand, ranks 129 on the rule of law index. How then do we think that this country will prosper? It can’t,” he asserted.
He said rule of law will not only help the country progress but also give the people ‘real freedom’, for which this movement stands, the party chief added referring to the PTI’s long march.
“We want rule of law in this country. If an ex-PM can’t get an FIR registered as per his claim … It is my right as per the Constitution to file an FIR. But I was unable to register it,” he said as he spoke about the FIR registered in the Wazirabad attack case.
“If this how I was treated then what will happen to the common citizen of this country,” he argued.
Commenting over the appointment of new army chief, Imran again criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his brother Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, and questioned how PM Shehbaz could consult with “a convict” on the appointment of the new army chief.
“This is a violation of the Official Secrets Act. We will consult our lawyers […] How can he consult with an absconder and a convict regarding such an important decision,” he wondered.
The PTI chief said that Nawaz had no stake in the country as he and his children were all living abroad, adding that Nawaz was no one to give his opinion on such an important matter.
