There's solution to Kashmir issue and it isn't with violence: Pak PM Imran Khan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, during his two-day official visit to Turkey last week, appeared in an interview with a Turkish news channel. In the almost 30 minute-long interview to TRT World, Khan spoke on a range of topics including ties with India, China, the United States along with the Kashmir issue. 

China - 'breath of fresh air'

Describing the Chinese as a "breath of fresh air for Pakistan," Khan stated that the country, led by Xi Jinping, is going to play a huge part in reviving Pakistan's crisis-hit economy. 

"I would speak to the Chinese in confidentiality and would never talk about it in public because that's how Chinese are, they like confidentiality," he noted, adding that the Chinese want to keep their help in some areas as confidential. 

NATO and Afghan troops

He reiterated that Pakistan was made a scapegoat for "one of the most ill-thought-out policies on Afghanistan." He said that the Afghan issue had a one-dimensional solution and that Pakistan's role is only to get Taliban to sit down to talk. 

India: 9/11 and Kashmir

The Pak PM reiterated that his country will not join war waged by some other country. He added that post-9/11, Pakistan joined United States' 'War on terror' when the country had nothing to do with 9/11. 

"We lost around 80,000 Pakistanis due to this, still recovering and we paid a huge price," he stated.

He went on to say that two nuclear-armed nations like India an Pakistan can never think of going to war, not even cold war, "it's suicide." Khan reiterated that the only way forward is through dialogue.

Khan alleged that the Indian government has rebuffed Pakistan which he thinks is because of the upcoming general elections. "The anti-Pakistan rhetoric gets votes in India for the party, I have to say that I am disappointed," Khan said. 

On the Kashmir issue, he called for dialogue, maintaining that global institutions like the United Nations have also identified the Kashmir crisis a result of an indigenous struggle. "There is a solution there but it isn't with violence," Khan said. 

Khan on Friday, while standing alongside the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said that he has been calling for dialogue with India but New Delhi is not responding, leading to a "bizarre situation." 

"We are trying to have a dialogue. Trying to move towards a friendly relationship with India. We had a stand-off with India and India refuses to talk to Pakistan under the pretext that until Pakistan stops terrorism India will not talk to us. Its a bizarre situation were we feel how can you move forward if there is no dialogue, " Khan said.