ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran, in an exclusive interview, mentioned USreluctance to reach out to Pakistan as he had not spoken to US PresidentJoe Biden since the collapse of the western-backed Afghan government.
In an interview with CNN program *Connect the World *on Wednesday, whichwas hosted by Becky Anderson, PM termed Biden a ‘busy man’ saying he shouldbe asked why he is too busy to call, he responded when asked to confirmthat Biden hadn’t called Khan since coming into office.
On Monday, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said the US would reassess itsties with Pakistan following the withdrawal. He told Congress during aHouse Foreign Affairs Committee hearing that Pakistan has a multiplicity ofinterests some that are in conflict with ours. Khan called such comments’ignorant’, telling the CNN journalist that ‘I have never heard suchignorance’.
PM, who was speaking from his residence in the country’s federal capital,said he would now like to see a single-dimensional relationship with the USas we will not fight after being paid from the western allies. “We want anormal relationship”, he added.
Khan also emphasized that Pakistan suffered greatly after siding with theUS in the war in Afghanistan after 9/11, saying ‘at one point, there were50 militant groups attacking our government’.
We joined the US against the Soviets and trained the Mujahideen to do jihadagainst foreign occupation in Afghanistan in the ’80s, he said while addingthat the same ‘mujahideen’s acts were deemed terrorism’ following the USinvasion of Afghanistan.
Khan negated the idea of allying with the US while recalling the USinvasion in the neighboring country following the 9/11 attacks. “I wouldnever have done that, If I was the prime minister at that time”, he added.
As Biden’s hopes of keeping the Afghan Taliban in check will rely heavilyon Pakistan, Khan mentioned Pashtun nationalism which kicked in the entiretribal belt of Pashtuns on the Pakistani side following the US invasion.
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“So the jihadis turned against us, the Pashtuns turned against us, and themore we tried military operations in civilian areas, the more collateraldamage [took place]”, he mentioned while explaining the consequences ofhosting US bases fearing it might lead to his country being targeted inrevenge attacks by the other side of the border.
Prime Minister said ‘It is complete ignorance’, when asked about thereasons for the trust deficit between the West and the South Asian country.Adding that, “Americans did not understand what the Haqqani network was,which he described as a Pashtun tribe living in Afghanistan”.
Responding to allegations that Pakistan’s intelligence was funding andsupporting the insurgents in Afghanistan via the Haqqani network, Khanmentioned the total budget of Pakistan – which is $50 billion for 220million people.
“Did we have the capacity to fund another war when we can barely meet ourown expenses?” he said while questioning the accusation hurled from westerncountries. Khan termed Pakistan’s relationship with the US during theoccupation of Afghanistan as a ‘terrible’ one saying we were paid some $20billion for being used as a hired gun, he said while reiterating that thecountry suffered $150 billion.Afghanistan can never be controlled from outside
Prime Minister said that Afghanistan could not be controlled by outsideforces and urged the world to engage the Taliban by incentivising them ontheir pledges related to inclusive government and women’s rights.
“No puppet government in Afghanistan is supported by the people. So ratherthan sitting here and thinking that we can control them, we shouldincentivise them. Because Afghanistan, this current government, clearlyfeels that without international aid and help, they will not be able tostop this crisis. So we should push them in the right direction,” Khan toldCNN.
