Khan said that Pakistan was friends with the United States, Russia, China and Europe, and they are ‘not in any camp’
File image of Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan. Twitter@PTIofficial
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday lashed out at the European Union (EU) countries for asking Pakistan to vote against Russia during the recently held special session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He demanded to know if the bloc considered Islamabad their “slave”, reported The Dawn.
Khan was speaking at a public gathering in Vehari district’s Mailsi tehsil. He referred to a letter released on 1 March by the heads of 22 diplomatic missions, including those of the EU member states, urging Pakistan to support a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Pakistan, a traditional ally of the West, abstained from voting, as the UNGA overwhelmingly slammed Russia for invading Ukraine.
“Did you write the same letter to India? When India violated international laws in occupied Kashmir, did any one of you sever ties with India or halt trade? Are we your slaves that we would do anything you say?” Khan thundered, according to The Dawn.
He added that Pakistan would not support any country in war, but would “take a step ahead in backing everyone yearning for peace”. “We have friendships with the United States, Russia, China and Europe. We are not in any camp. Since we are neutral, we will try collaborate with these countries to endeavour for an end to this war in Ukraine,” he said.
Khan and his government found themselves in the spotlight after he went ahead with a visit to Moscow in late February, as fears of an invasion were growing. He met Russian President Vladimir Putin a few hours after he had ordered his troops into Ukraine. On his arrival in Moscow, Khan had reportedly remarked to Russian officials, “So much excitement!”
Interestingly, Khan had made a similar “slave” comment in 2012.
With inputs from agencies
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.