Islamabad (HRNW) Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has hinted that the United States tried to persuade Pakistan against Imran Khan’s visit to Russia amid growing tensions on Ukraine.
The United States made a “high-level contact” and asked an “innocent question,” which Pakistan answered “respectfully,” said Qureshi.
The foreign minister said the contact was made before Imran Khan’s Russia visit.
He said that a message to Pakistan was delivered by “the most senior American official.” Pakistan was given a message but its plans remained unchanged, Qureshi told a press conference in Islamabad on Friday.
He said Pakistan is not part of any “super power club” and would prioritize its own national interests. However, it enjoys cordial relations with the United States, he added.
Prime Minister Imran Khan held a three-hour-long one-on-one meeting with President Putin in Moscow on the day the Russian leader ordered “a military operation” in Ukraine. Many people in Pakistan believed that Imran Khan’s decision to visit Russia amid the Ukraine crisis and growing tensions between Russia and the west would send wrong signals.
Be the first to comment on "Qureshi hints US tried to persuade Imran against Russia visit"