Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan Tuesday appraised the visiting British Foreign Secretary William Hague about his party's strategy to defeat militancy, saying they can win the war in 90 days, but not through the use of force.
Hague, who is on a two-day official visit in Islamabad and also met with PTI chief Imran Khan. According to PTI central media office, the meeting was held on the request of the British Foreign Secretary and they exchanged a range of issues. Imran while explaining his party's strategy to defeat militancy conveyed his earlier stance saying it was time to give peace a chance through dialogue with the tribal people. "We can win this war in 90 days, but not through the army - every military operation by Pakistan army against its own people has ended in failure", he said, adding we can help the Americans extricate themselves from their mess in this region.
Khan also explained the psyche of the tribal people to the British Foreign Secretary including the inbuilt notion of revenge. "Unfortunately the US approach is being driven by Generals," Khan regretted and expressed the view that there was little clarity at the Pentagon's policy.
According to PTI central media office, Khan inquired about the specific purpose of Hague visit at this particular time and was told it was a part of the expanding UK-Pakistan relationship. Khan also explained his party's position on the US "war on terror", saying his party has always advocated a political solution to the problem of terrorism and militancy. He stated that his first move would be to have a cease-fire and convince the US that a credible government in Pakistan would stop the militancy in the tribal areas. "A military operation in Fata is madness. There are no easy solutions anymore", he maintained.
"Hague agreed that there was recognition that there has to be reconciliation in Afghanistan, even amongst the Americans. But "there are some people like al Qaeda who are not reconcilable", Hague told Khan according to the PTI press release. Khan also explained why the apology for Salala was critical, saying that the present US policy of drones was absurd and senseless.
The PTI chief reiterated his party's position on aid that is given to Pakistan generally for fiscal budgetary support and aid given directly to social/educational projects. He appreciated Department for International Development (DFID) aid, especially in the education sector where he felt an emergency should be declared. Khan also explained his party's first 100-day plan when comes into power, saying that there was dire need for good governance, which he explained to depoliticize the state institutions, bureaucracy and police.
He also expressed his support for devolution process to give power to people at grassroots level. He said if governance was re-established, the country would progress with an enabling environment to encourage the vibrant civil society and overseas Pakistanis. Chairman PTI Imran Khan was accompanied by his party leaders in the meeting.