PM says Pakistan wants relationship with US similar to the one with China

Comparing Pakistan and China's trade relations, Prime Minister Imran Khan has asserted that the country wants a similar, proper and not a 'one-dimensional' relationship with the United States. 

In an interview to Washington Post, the premier shared his vision regarding the relationship Pakistan and US share.  He maintained that Pakistan wants a proper relation with the US and not a relationship where Pakistan is treated like a hired gun.

"I would never want to have a relationship where Pakistan is treated like a hired gun — given money to fight someone else’s war," Imran Khan said, adding that it has cost Pakistan many lives and devastation in tribal areas.

When asked about his recent 'socail media war' with US President Donald Trump, the premier said that it was not a 'Twitter war', but he had just set some records straight. He added that Trump blamed Pakistan for giving sanctuary to Taliban leaders, when in fact there were no sanctuaries in Pakistan.

The PM further said that he had been briefed by his security forces who had asked America several times where the sanctuaries were so that they could get them. PM Khan said that if America believes there are sanctuaries, where are they then. "Our border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has the greatest amount of surveillance. The US has satellites and drones. These people crossing would be seen."

The premier said that Pakistan had been approached by America to help it resolve the Afghan issue. He said Pakistan will do everything to bring peace in Afghanistan. "From Pakistan’s point of view, we do not want the Americans to leave Afghanistan in a hurry like they did in 1989 [because] the last thing we want is to have chaos in Afghanistan."

He added that Americans leaving Afghanistan back in 1989 had also resulted in chaos last time. The premier was of the opinion that there should be a settlement this time.