Imran Khan's anti-West tirade hits diplomatic ties

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's persistent anti-West utterances have seriously irked the latter, the latest being the United Kingdom (UK) which has called off two key meetings.

His attacks have not gone down well in the West as a whole he is engaged in a major diplomatic crisis over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Khan sent alarm bells ringing when, despite American 'appraising' of the oncoming situation, he landed in Moscow on a visit a day after the latter launched its military operations.

At the rally at Vehari in South Punjab on March 6, Imran Khan gave a blistering speech in which he said Western diplomats treated Pakistan like "slaves" by pushing for a tougher stance on Russia (on the Ukraine crisis).

He also lashed out at EU envoys over their letter seeking a change in Pakistan's 'neutral' stand on Ukraine.

This has also earned disapproval from a key official, the Finance Minister in his government, Shaukat Tarin.

He said Wednesday (March 9) that while the premier was "reflecting public sentiments", he should not have done so at a public rally he addressed over the last weekend.

Analysts say Khan is building an anti-West sentiment at home to fight off a political crisis where the Opposition has given the notice to move a no-confidence motion against the government in the National Assembly.

According to some media reports, Khan and his colleagues have floated a 'conspiracy' theory alleging that the US is behind the move in the National Assembly to remove him from office.

London cancelled an invitation to National Security Advisor, Dr Moeed Yusuf and a visit by senior officials to discuss among others, aid to Pakistan and the situation in Afghanistan.

The invitation to Moeed was from UK's National Security Adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove. Moeed denied the cancellation and claimed to have had a virtual talk with his British counterpart.

"After the visit was cancelled, Moeed Yousuf addressed the London event through zoom. During his speech, the Pakistan NSA rejected the news that the UK Government had cancelled the meeting with him as false. He didn't elaborate on why he had not visited the UK.

As per his original itinerary, he was scheduled to meet the UK National Security Adviser, senior ministers at the Foreign Office as well as a meeting with a senior official of the British Army during his four-day visit, including an address at the London School of Economics (LSE) annual Pakistan Society event.

An unnamed British Government source was quoted (March 9) by The News International newspaper saying that Prime Minister Imran Khan's public condemnation of the European nations "has caused unease amongst the countries, especially Britain, which has often supported Pakistan at various international forums."

Khan's anti-West diatribe has irked the United States as well, ever since the latter engaged in a chaotic withdrawal from neighbouring Afghanistan last August.

He has blamed the West generally and the US for coercing Pakistan into joining the "war against terror" in Afghanistan after 9/11, two decades ago.

Of particular interest to Pakistan is the cancelled discussion on the Afghanistan situation. It was hoping to get some relief, but London has said Afghanistan is off the radar and the focus is fully on Ukraine.

Pakistan sees itself as a facilitator and coordinator of the world community's humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. A move to open an international bank account through which the global aid could be funnelled has been rejected by various stakeholders.

Through this effort, Pakistan also hopes to get relief for millions of Afghan refugees it has been hosting, some of them for over four decades. All that has halted thanks to the Ukraine war. Media reports say that with Ukrainian refugees spilling across Europe, prospects of Afghans finding refuge in Europe and the US have dampened.

( With inputs from ANI )

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