Imran Khan feels Pakistan a poll issue in India, to offer 'hand of friendship' after 2019 elections

Pic Courtesy: Reuters

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday fired a fresh salvo by saying that anti-Pakistan rhetoric rakes in votes in India, suggesting that the neighbouring country is a poll issue in India. Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative Forum in Riyadh, the Pakistan prime minister said that he would once again extend a hand of friendship to India after the completion of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Talking about Pakistan’s efforts to mend ties with neighbours, Imran Khan said that he extended a hand of friendship to India after assuming power, adding that it was rebuffed by New Delhi. He also cited that India had called off talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session.

State-run Radio Pakistan quoted the country’s Prime Minister as saying that “peace with India would help the two countries to divert their resources towards human development instead of indulging in arms race”.

This came just a day after Imran took to micrblogging site Twitter to alleged that India was indulging in “new cycle of killing of innocent Kashmiris”. He had reiterated that India must agree to have a dialogue to resolve the Kashmir dispute, citing a resolution of the United Nations Security Council.

He had tweeted, “Strongly condemn the new cycle of killings of innocent Kashmiris in IOK by Indian security forces. It is time India realised it must move to resolve the Kashmir dispute through dialogue in accordance with the UN SC resolutions & the wishes of the Kashmiri people.”

Responding to his remark, the Ministry of External Affairs had issued a strong rebuttal, terming Imran’s tweet as “regrettable”. “The remarks made by Pakistani's Prime Minister in his tweet today are deeply regrettable. Instead of making comments on India‘s internal affairs, Pakistan leadership should look inwards and address its own issues,” said the MEA.

“Pakistan would serve interest of people of the region by taking credible action against all kind of support to terrorism and terror infrastructure from all territories under its control rather than supporting and glorifying terrorists terror activities against India and its other neighbours,” the statement by India further said.