Imran Khan expresses desire to restore ties with US

LAHORE, Nov 13 (SABAH): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan who had for months accused America of fomenting a conspiracy to oust him from power has in a recent interview suggested a departure from his usual refrain, and expressed a desire to restore his relations with Washington despite accusing it of treating Islamabad as a slave.

In an interview with the Financial Times following an assassination attempt last month, Imran said he will no longer “blame” the US and wants a “dignified” relationship if re-elected.

“As far as I’m concerned it’s over, it’s behind me,” he said of the alleged conspiracy, which both Shehbaz and the US had denied.

“The Pakistan I want to lead must have good relationships with everyone, especially the United States. “Our relationship with the US has been as of a master-servant relationship, or a master-slave relationship, and we’ve been used like a hired gun. But for that, I blame my own government more than the US.”

The ousted prime minister criticized Pakistan’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, first started under his government in 2019 but revived by Sharif, for pushing austerity measures such as subsidy-free fuel and power prices and spiraling inflation.

“When you contract the economy, and some of the IMF measures make your economy shrink, how are you supposed to pay off your loans, because your loans keep increasing?” he said. “Consumption has crashed . . . So my question is: How are we going to pay our debts? We are certainly going to head towards default.”

Early elections were the only way to restore political stability, he said. The former prime minister argued that early elections were the only way to restore political stability. He did not outline specific plans for the economy if in office but warned it could be beyond anyone if elections are not held soon.

Despite his popularity, Khan’s path to office faces several obstacles including legal cases that could stop him in this regard.