Pakistan cannot hold dialogue with a fascist Indian regime, PM tells CFR

NEW YORK: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday that China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates helped Pakistan and particularly it’s economy in testing times.

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The PM, who is in the US to address the United Nations General Assembly, was addressing the Council of Foreign Relations in New York today.

In his speech, the premier said that the previous governments failed to find a solution to the economic woes, adding that due to the persistent issues, the current government had to rely on the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The prime minister said that when his party came into power, the economic condition of the country was in dire straits and China was the first country to help.

While responding to questions, PM Imran said that the government approached the IMF due to the current account deficit.

He further said that the US had left Pakistan alone after the withdrawal of Russia (former the Soviet Union) from neighboring Afghanistan.

After 9/11, the US needed Pakistan’s help once again, said the prime minister.

On the Afghan peace process, Imran Khan said that the Afghan government, Ashraf Ghani personally forbade me from holding dialogues and or talking to the Taliban, whereas I and Pakistan wanted to apprise the Taliban of the negotiations and take them into confidence over the efforts being made for viable and long-lasting peace in the region.

On a question about China, PM Imran Khan said that he wished that he had the capacity to do what was being done in China in terms of corruption eradication and poverty alleviation back home in Pakistan.

“China jailed 400 people over corruption, it brought out 700 million people from abject poverty and became the strongest economy of the world, we should all admire and learn from China.”

While explaining the ideology of the current Indian Government and why has he abstained from dialogue with them, Khan said: “This is the ideology that killed Gandhi, a radical fascist ideology inspired by the Nazi party of Germany, it was banned thrice in India, how can I or Pakistan think about brokering peace with someone with that mindset?”

“We tried in the past, we tried our best, we released their pilot Abhinandan after their failed attack against Pakistan’s sovereignty, we answered them emphatically and showed maturity by returning their pilot, the message was simple, it had been since the day I assumed power, even before that, Pakistan is a peaceful country and wanted peace in the region but it reserves it’s due right to protect itself from any misadventure, our desire for peace should not be deemed our weakness,” concluded the Prime Minister.