Pak-Iran relations: PTI slams govt’s ‘silence’ on US statement

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday expressed concern over the silence of the Pakistan government and Foreign Office on a US statement regarding Pak-Iran economic cooperation.

“The government, deprived of people's support and mandate, does not have the ability and capability to adopt a concrete strategy regarding Pakistan's sovereignty and independent foreign policy,” asserted a PTI spokesperson. The Foreign Office's silence on the US threat to impose sanctions on Pakistan for economic agreements with Iran, he pointed out, was raising many important questions on the foreign strategy of the puppet government. “The silence on the recent statement after the federal government failed to adopt a concrete strategy on the US administration's action on missile program is tantamount to endangering the country's security and sovereignty,” he contended. He emphasized that the government of Pakistan should clarify the situation on the US statement and tell the nation how long such humiliating orders would continue. The PTI spokesperson said the Foreign Office should take a clear stance on the threatening statement made by the United States. He insisted that as an independent and sovereign state, Pakistan had every right to formulate an independent foreign policy focused on its national interest. Making the integrity, sovereignty and security of the state of Pakistan invincible through an independent foreign policy, he claimed, was the priority agenda of the PTI founder Chairman Imran Khan.

“Imran Khan has taken all possible steps to promote cordial relations by following the principle of mutual cooperation with all countries for the welfare of the country and the nation. He is being punished for taking a clear stand on the true independence of the nation and dreaming of Pakistan's sovereignty,” he noted and said that on February 8, people reposed their faith in the PTI in the form of a heavy mandate, based on Imran Khan's vision of true independence and the nation's sovereignty.