ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has termed that a conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran would be disastrous for Pakistan on Thursday.
In a wide-ranging interview with German international broadcaster
Deutsche Welle (DW) Editor-in-Chief Ines Pohl, the prime minister shed light on the balancing act that Islamabad often finds itself in while maintaining ties with its neighbours.
“It's true that we live in a difficult neighbourhood and we have to balance our actions. For instance, Saudi Arabia is one of Pakistan's greatest friends and has always been there for us. Then we have Iran, with which we have always maintained a good relationship,” he said.
"Therefore, a military conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran would be disastrous for Pakistan. We are trying our best to make sure that ties between these two countries do not deteriorate. It is a region that cannot afford another conflict.”
Pakistan doing its best to bring peace to Afghanistan
Imran Khan also said Pakistan is also doing its best to bring peace to Afghanistan. “It is a country that has suffered so much in the past 40 years. We pray that the Taliban, the Americans and the Afghan government achieve peace,” he added.
To question about the US-Afghanistan peace talks and Pakistan’s role in brokering peace between the two countries, the prime minister said: ” I think they are heading towards a ceasefire. We are hoping that the US-Taliban talks succeed, as we have a new government in power in Afghanistan with President Ashraf Ghani being re-elected.”
Nuclear power India being run by extremists
The prime minister said India has been taken over by an extremist ideology known as “Hindutva.” It is the ideology of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
“It is a tragedy for India — and for its neighbours — that the country has been taken over by the RSS, an organization which also assassinated the great Mahatma Gandhi. A nuclear-armed country is being run by extremists, and Kashmir has been under siege for over five months,”
PM Khan maintained.
Discussing the illegal unilateral annexation of Kashmir at the hands of India, the prime minister said: “Let the people of Kashmir decide what they want. Pakistan is ready for a referendum or a plebiscite.”
