FT says Imran Khan emerged as 'statesman' after India crisis

LONDON: Prime Minister Imran Khan, who last week effectively de-escalated the tensions with India, is now being praised by world media for his statesmanship during the crisis situation.

UK-based The Financial Times in its latest report said: “the erstwhile cricketing all-rounder demonstrated he was as deft and steely nerved a player on the political stage as on the sports pitch, coolly navigating Islamabad’s most serious crisis in relations with India in decades.”

The FT report titled ‘Imran Khan recast as statesman after deft touch eases India crisis’ lavished praise on the Pakistani PM saying the decision to free Indian pilot ‘earned Mr Khan plaudits internationally and at home for appearing statesmanlike, and suggested he was sincere in his stated desire to improve relations with Pakistan’s longtime rival’.

Commenting on the development, a US diplomat said “what Pakistan needed to do is deflate the general view of [the country] as an irresponsible state, and he (Imran Khan) did that quite well”.

Ashley Tellis, a former senior US diplomat in India, told FT “He recognised from the onset of the crisis that an escalation was not in Pakistan’s interest.”

“Pakistan’s military action was carefully calibrated. Mr Khan was looking for ways to deliver the appropriate response that would signal Pakistan is not a pushover and would protect its interests, but would not be escalatory,” he added.