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Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, has insisted he wasn’t conscious that Russia was going to invade Ukraine on the identical day he met Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Talking to Sky’s Mark Austin, Mr Khan, who was ousted by opposition events in April, has been closely criticised for having face-to-face talks with Russia’s president and shaking palms with him simply hours after the struggle in Ukraine started on 24 February.
On a video hyperlink from Peshawar, Mr Khan, who arrived in Russia on 23 February for a two-day go to, mentioned: “How the hell was I purported to know that the day I landed in Moscow that Putin was going into Ukraine.
“I’ve by no means believed in army options, ours was a bilateral assembly, it was deliberate lengthy earlier than.
“We did not realise that after I would attain there Putin would go into Ukraine. How was I purported to know and how are you going to be punished for that?”
Imran Khan and Vladimir Putin met and shook palms on 24 February
He added he’s towards army options in Ukraine and the aim of his go to to the Kremlin was to debate bilateral agreements.
The previous PM was additionally questioned about his authorities’s shut ties with China and Russia, with Mr Khan stating that he was elected to serve the individuals of Pakistan.
“There are 50 million individuals in Pakistan under the poverty line, I used to be not elected for them to right all of the wrongs which can be happening on the planet.”
“My duty was to my nation and so all my relationships, whether or not it was with China, with the USA, with Russia, have been for the advantages of our personal individuals,” he mentioned.
Mr Khan additionally accused India of violating United Nations resolutions in Kashmir, saying Pakistan’s neighbour has “illegally taken away the fitting of the Kashmiri individuals”.
“Did anybody communicate towards it? There are atrocities happening in Kashmir, 100,000 individuals in Kashmir have died. Has anybody condemned India for that?
“No as a result of India is an ally, enable us to be impartial too so we are able to take care of our individuals.”
Pakistan shares a big border with Afghanistan and Mr Khan was requested in regards to the Taliban takeover of the nation final 12 months. He acknowledged “there was by no means going to be a army answer” in Afghanistan.
“I’m not accountable or a spokesman for the Taliban, if there was every other answer after 20 years of struggle, you must have discovered some answer,” he mentioned, including that Pakistan has by no means supported the Taliban.
“Pakistan is the collateral injury of Afghanistan.”
Learn extra:
Shahbaz Sharif replaces ousted Imran Khan as prime minister
Pakistan PM breaks silence after being ousted for dropping no-confidence vote
In April, Mr Khan misplaced a no-confidence vote after opposition events introduced a movement towards him, blaming the previous cricketer for failing to revive the economic system and deal with corruption.
Immediately, he has known as for a common election and mentioned the Pakistani individuals do not need a “foreign-imposed authorities the place members of our occasion have been purchased”.
“We really feel that fairly than another person imposing a authorities on the nation, let the individuals resolve,” he mentioned.
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