ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday spoke with the President of the European Council Charles Michel and stressed the need for a ceasefire and de-escalation in Ukraine.
On Twitter, the prime minister said that he had shared concern with Charles Michel over the continued military conflict in Ukraine and highlighted its adverse economic impact on developing countries.
He also emphasised the importance of humanitarian relief and reiterated the call for a solution through dialogue and diplomacy. “We agreed that countries like Pakistan could play a facilitating role in this endeavour. I look forward to close engagement to promote shared objectives,” he remarked.
I emphasized the importance of humanitarian relief & reiterated call for a solution through dialogue & diplomacy. We agreed that countries like Pakistan could play a facilitating role in this endeavour. I look forward to close engagement to promote shared objectives.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 7, 2022
Earlier Prime Minister Imran Khan hit out at Islamabad-based Western envoys who last week urged Pakistan to condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine, asking them if they thought Pakistan was their “slave”.
“What do you think of us? Are we your slaves … that whatever you say, we will do?” Khan said while addressing a political rally.
The heads of 22 diplomatic missions, including those of European Union member states, released a rare joint letter urging Pakistan to support a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. read more
Pakistan abstained from voting as the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly reprimanded Russia for invading Ukraine.
“I want to ask the European Union ambassadors: Did you write such a letter to India?”Imran Khan said, noting that India had also abstained.
PM Imran Khan also said European countries had not censured India for its actions in Kashmir, a mountainous region over which Pakistan and India have fought two wars. He said Pakistan had suffered because it had supported the Western NATO alliance in Afghanistan, and instead of gratitude faced criticism.
PM Imran Khan and his government found themselves in the spotlight after he went ahead with a visit to Moscow in late February as fears of an invasion were growing, and met Vladimir Putin a few hours after the Russian president had ordered his troops into Ukraine.
“We are friends with Russia, and we are also friends with America; we are friends with China and with Europe; we are not in any camp,” Khan added, saying Pakistan would remain “neutral” and work with those trying to end the war in Ukraine.
On Friday, a Pakistani foreign office spokesman said it was “not usual diplomatic practice” for envoys to make appeals such as their letter public, “and we have made that clear”.
