LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that he would try to establish strong ties with neighbouring India, Afghanistan, Iran, China and US if he is again elected as prime minister.

In his interview to British newspaper The Telegraph, he said that good relations are impossible in India as long as Bharatiya Janata Party remains in power, but I want better relations with New Delhi. Khan said that potential economic benefits that establishing trade between two arch rivals would bring but said these would never be realised until Delhi changes its stance on disputed region of Indian-administered Kashmir.

“Benefits would be enormous. But, we are stuck on this issue and we need strong roadmap to resolve it. I think it’s possible but BJP government is so hardline, they have a nationalistic stance on issues,” he said.

Former Prime Minister said that benefits from trade would be huge but Indian stand on Occupied Kashmir is main obstacle because attitude of Indian ruling party is hardline, BJP incites nationalist sentiments, causing situation to spiral out of control.

“We want to solve problem of Kashmir, for which there should be a road map,” he said and added we do not accept that Kashmiris are not given rights. When India ended special status of Occupied Kashmir, relations between two countries became cold.

PTI Chairman said, “We really need a relationship with both countries. What I do not want is another Cold War situation when we are in blocks, like in last Cold War we were allied with United States.”

He said, “Whole of Central Asia, Afghanistan, became out of our orbit. My main concern for Pakistan is how to lift 120 million out of poverty and best way to do that is if we can have a relationship with everyone, to trade with everyone, so we can help our population.”

Meanwhile, A trial court in Islamabad issued a notice to PTI chairman Imran Khan and summoned him today in the Toshakhana Reference, in which the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had disqualified him.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 22 2022

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