In an exclusive interview with the UK’s Four News television network, the Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, discussed the world’s relations with the IE.
Khan challenged the world’s relations with the IE and said that the world is increasing restrictions on the IE on the one hand and making demands on it on the other hand.
Khan added: “I know Afghans very well; at least I know them better than westerners. Afghans don’t like to be told to do this or that. Let me say this, if the West wants to influence the Taliban; so expand the relationship with them. Interact with them. If you want to marginalize them, how are you going to influence them?”
Furthermore, Khan said if the world wants to accept its demands on the IE, then it should first remove the sanctions that have been imposed on IE by the world for the past year and a half.
He added: “If you (the world) want! Come to a conclusion with them, so first interact with them (the Taliban). After that, talk to them about human rights. At the moment, the Taliban have been marginalized, their asset has been congealed, so why should they listen to anyone’s words?”
Earlier this week, in an article published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the IE, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi, called for interaction and constructive political and diplomatic ties between the IE and the world and stressed the need to establish such relations.
The article reads: “We know that international relations in the world have made good progress as a result of the constructive interaction between governmental and non-governmental actors. Relationships based on mutual respect and common interests are today’s need and a reasonable way to protect the interests of all parties. The current government of Afghanistan is expecting positive interaction with the world based on this mentality.”
Although Imran Khan did not answer the reporter’s question about the ban on Afghan girls’ education, he had previously called the ban on girls’ education a cultural issue of Pashtuns, which triggered strong reactions of Pashtuns and his remarks has been called baseless and an insult to Pashtuns.
Meanwhile, political analysts believed that Imran Khan with his biased statements wants to show the world that the IE is trying to put pressure on the international community on the issue of girls’ education and to achieve its political goals.
Imran Khan is focusing on the interaction between the IE and the international community at a time when his relationship with the government of Pakistan is strained and his arrest has been ordered by the supreme court of Pakistan.
Khan is accused of supporting terrorist attacks and inciting people to revolt against the government of Pakistan.
