PM Imran dismisses West’s suspicion about CPEC

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday dismissed the “suspicion” of the Western countries about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Gwadar port, saying that both the projects were a great opportunity for regional development.

In an interview with Dr Eric Li, Director of the Advisory Committee of the China Institute of Fudan University, the prime minister said that the projects would prove beneficial not only to Pakistan and China, but also to the entire region.

“The suspicion about CPEC and Gwadar [port] makes no sense…We invite other countries to join as well,” Imran said. He added that his top priority was the uplift of 220 million people of Pakistan and “these projects will help in poverty alleviation and wealth creation”.

Afghan situation

When asked to comment on the situation in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US troops, Imran said that the Americans did not learned from the history of Afghans, adding that the prevailing situation there could lead to a humanitarian crisis.

“When you have no clear aims why you invaded a country, it is going to be a failure. Anyone who thinks of controlling the Afghan people, has not read their history,” Imran said. “The whole mission of the US in Afghanistan was ‘based on a false premise’,” he added.

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“After 40 years, in an attempt to punish the Taliban government, a huge humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Afghanistan. If Afghanistan descends into chaos because of the [Western] sanctions, as its 75% economy depends on foreign aid, this will be the biggest man-made human disaster,” he said.

Ties with India

On relations with India, the prime minister said that normalising ties with Pakistan’s immediate neighbour was a priority of his government after assuming power. However, he added that the Kashmir dispute remained a big issue between the two countries.

He mentioned the “terrible situation” of human rights in India where the minorities suffered immensely. “The Indian government thinks that the country belongs to the Hindus, who continue to marginalise other minorities,” he said. “A great tragedy is happening in India and I hope that better sense prevails to avert any damage.”

Uyghur issue

Asked about the allegations hurled by the United States and European countries of the genocide of Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang province, Imran said that the reports received from Pakistan’s envoy to China after his visit to the province were “completely different”.

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“Ambassador Moinul Haq was especially asked to go and have a look to find out what was actually going on in Xinjiang,” he said. “The report he [envoy] gave to us was completely different that is coming out [about Uyghurs] on the Western media,” the prime minister added.

“According to him [Ambassador Haq], the emphasis on development in Xinjiang is ‘unprecedented’,” he said, adding that the envoy, however, did mention a certain security issue because of the terror attacks by ETIM [East Turkestan Islamic Movement].”

On the bilateral relationship with China, the prime minister said that the all-weather friendship between the two countries had withstood the test of time. For 70 years, he said, the relations with China had been consistent regardless of the government in power.

Responding to another question on balancing ties between the US and China, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan would like to replicate the role it had played in bringing the two rival blocs closer in the 1970s.