ISLAMABAD: Talking about his stance on diplomatic relations with the US, Imran Khan stated that he wanted Pakistan to be on friendly terms with all countries but would not accept slavery at any cost.
“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 via video link today.
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,” he reiterated.
Imran Khan, in an address via video link today, said that a propaganda cell in Pakistan was “feeding journalists” against him.“They [the journalists] are told to pick and choose things from my interview and then turn those against me,” the former premier claimed, adding that the propaganda cell was trying to misconstrue his words.
Imran went on to say that the propaganda had reached the extent where two journalists had to clarify that their work was being “presented in an incorrect way”.
Imran Khan said that he wanted to see Pakistan enjoy “friendship” with all nations but be a slave to none, saying the country’s foreign policy didn’t put the interests of its people first.
Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary no-trust vote in April, has said his ouster was part of a United States-backed “foreign conspiracy.” Washington and Khan’s opponents deny the allegation.
“I’ve been saying one thing for the last 26 years, that we want friendship with everyone, but slavery of none,” Khan, who was injured in a gun attack on his protest march earlier this month, said while addressing his supporters through a video link.
Khan said he had even pushed for friendship with archrival neighboring India when he was in power.
Referring to Pakistan’s cooperation with the US in the war on terror after the 9/11 attacks, he said Pakistan had sacrificed its people in the war because “we aren’t independent. We are slaves.”
“Our foreign policy doesn’t protect the interests of Pakistani people,” the ex-premier said, adding that he never wanted enmity with any country.
“We want good relationship with China, Russia and US. We don’t want slavery of anyone,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Khan’s party requested the country’s top court to constitute a judicial commission to investigate the “assassination attempt” on the ex-premier in Wazirabad city on November 3.
Imran Khan on Monday claimed that the decision over the snap polls is being made in London. Addressing the participants of the long march via video link, the former prime minister said, “I hope that the Chief Justice of Pakistan will hear the case of an assassination attempt on him. Today our lawmakers appeared before the SC to file an application over an assassination attempt on him. The country has to be headed towards the path of rule of law as this is the decisive moment.”
Lashing out at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the Daily Mail case, the PTI chief said, “Shehbaz was fined by the London’s court as the court emphasized that everyone is equal in terms of the law. In Britain, the rule of law very much exists. Questing how could be it possible that PM Shehbaz Sharif consults the absconder [Nawaz Sharif] over important decisions of the country like the Army Chief’s appointment and snap elections as this is a violation of the Official Secret Act.
Imran lamented that he could not register the FIR over an assassination attempt on him, being the country’s former premier, adding that is important to establish a system of justice to make the county prosperous. Saying that in the Riyasat-e-Madina, the system of justice was established first, Imran added that the countries where the rule of law and justice prevail are prosperous.