Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, in an interview with Russia TV (RT) ahead of his visit to Moscow, said that the first thing his government did in 2018 was to reach out to India for a dialogue.
“I told them [India] our only issue is Kashmir. Remember, I am the one who knows India better than anyone else. So I immediately reached out and then I discovered to my horror that this is not the India I used to know because this has been taken over by a mad ideology. It’s a racist ideology that was inspired by the Nazis,” said the premier.
“I would love to debate with Narendra Modi on TV. It would be so good for over a billion people in the sub-continent if we can resolve our differences through a debate,” said PM Khan.
The prime minister noted that greater cooperation between the United States, China, and Russia will benefit mankind much more than the conflict.
Pakistan wants to strengthen bilateral relations with Russia and he looks forward to his Moscow visit, said the PM.
The prime minister said, “Our North-South Gas pipeline has suffered a delay because of the US sanctions on the Russian company we were negotiating for the construction of the pipeline.”
PM Khan said the western countries should frame laws as they have on terror financing to check the illicit flow of money from poor countries.
“My main emphasis is to remove poverty. No human society has achieved what China has done. So, therefore we learn from everyone. But we should be rooted in our culture, history, and religion.”
“Pakistan wants to establish trading relations with all other countries to lift people out of poverty rather than becoming part of any bloc,” said the premier.
It is pertinent to mention here that PM Khan, at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will go on an official two-day visit to Russia from February 23-24.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Reforms Asad Umar, Adviser for Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, National Security Adviser Moeed Yousuf, and others will accompany the premier during the visit.
