Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan keeps hitting headlines with his controversial statements. In his latest interview with an international news channel, the cricketer-turned-politician said that he was busy with issues of Kashmir and that he "frankly does not know much about" the condition of Uyghur Muslims in China.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Pakistan prime minister attmpted a global outreach on Islamabad's stand over Kashmir issue after India's decision to abrogate special status to Jammu and Kashmir, given by Article 370 of Indian constitution.
When Imran Khan was asked that if he ever raised the issue of Uyghur Muslims during his discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said that Pakistan is inundated with so many internal problems that his first priority is the people of Pakistan.
"No, I have not. We have been facing so many of our internal problems right now that I do not know much about this problem. Let's face it, ever since we came to power, apart from the economy and apart from dealing with the situation in Kashmir, we have been inundated with problems," Imran Khan said.
"Right now, my responsibility is the people of Pakistan. Therefore, my number one effort is to help my own country," he added.
He further said, "I will say one thing about China. For Pakistan, China has been the best friend,"
In an exclusive interview to Al Jazeera, Khan also said that Pakistan could lose in a conventional war with India which could then be consequential in view that the two neighbouring countries are nuclear-armed.
"I am clear that when two nuclear-armed countries fight a conventional war, there is every possibility of it ending in a nuclear war. If I say Pakistan, God forbid, and in a conventional war, and we are losing, and if a country is stuck between two choices, either you surrender or fight to the death for your freedom." Pakistan PM said.
"I know Pakistan will fight to the death for freedom (and) when a nuclear-armed country fights to the death, there are consequences," he added.
In the same interview, Khan ruled out the possibility of dialogue with India in the aftermath of abrogation Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Imran Khan administration has downgraded its diplomatic ties and suspended bilateral trade with India. India has maintained that the move on Kashmir is its "internal matter" - a stance that has been supported by many countries. India has asked Pakistan to review these decisions so that normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved.
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