Govt will not hold dialogue with India till restoration of Kashmir's special status, says PM Khan

(Karachi) Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the government will not hold any dialogue with India till the time New Delhi restores Kashmir's special status.

Responding to public queries via telephone on Tuesday, Imran said that India's objective to tackle China's growing military and economic power is a futile effort and will not yield results. "India will suffer in the process," he stated.

"We raised awareness about India’s Hindutva ideology. The West lectures the world on human rights and inclusivity but does not condemn the violence against Kashmiris," he said.

Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the premier said that Pakistan is fortunate to come out successfully from the first and second waves and the government’s strategy helped in saving the economy.

“The situation in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal are before everyone as they are witnessing a rise in COVID cases,” he said while urging people to take care of their elders during Eid holidays and strictly adhere to COVID SOPs.

“The more we adopt precautionary measures, the sooner we will be able to come out of this situation,” he said adding that during his visit to PIMs, doctors conveyed that the COVID cases have stabilized and are not following an upward trajectory now.

He said that the use of masks has proved important globally to reduce COVID spread by 50 percent and therefore, the public should wear masks on Eid.

The PM said that he doesn’t want to impose another lockdown. “Lockdowns affect the poor the most,” he said.

About problems faced by overseas Pakistanis, Imran said he has directed embassies to start online services for overseas Pakistanis where they can register their complaints at a portal which will be set up under the supervision of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

He pointed out that Embassies have been directed to solve problems and issues raised by the Pakistani diaspora abroad and to facilitate Pakistanis abroad in investing in the country.

Responding to a caller, the premier reiterated that Pakistan cannot progress unless there is an equal law for the powerful and the weak, saying supremacy of law is the only way forward.

"A country witnesses destruction when those at the helm of affairs are involved in loot and plunder," he added. "In the past [former prime minister] Nawaz Sharif attacked the Supreme Court, while our government doesn't interfere in the matters of the judiciary."

"The corrupt mafia doesn't want the law to prevail and so they are creating hurdles in its way."

Replying to another caller on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen's case, he said, "there won't be any injustice with anyone, but I promise the masses that I won't spare the sugar barons. I won't grant them an NRO."