Pakistan PM Imran Khan offers TV debate with PM Modi to resolve differences

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday that he would like to have a TV debate with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to resolve differences between the two neighbouring countries. Khan made the remarks during an interview with Russia’s state-run television network RT on the eve of his maiden two-day visit to Moscow – the first by a Pakistani premier in over two decades – during which he will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin and review exchange views on major regional and international issues. “I would love to debate with Narendra Modi on TV,” Khan said in response to a question.

He added that it would be so good for over a billion people of the subcontinent if differences between Pakistan and India could be resolved through a debate. Responding to a question, Khan said when his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf came into power in 2018 he immediately reached out to India and asked the Indian leadership to sit down at the table and resolve the Kashmir issue. Recently, Imran Khan's top advisor, Abdul Razak Dawood, had said that trade with India is the need of the hour and beneficial to both countries. Imran Khan's statement comes a day after the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary began on February 21. The FATF will undertake the next review of Pakistan’s progress in curbing terror-financing and money laundering. The Paris-based watchdog placed Pakistan on the grey-list in 2018 on its performance to address international concerns on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism.