Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the relations between India and Pakistan cannot be normalised until New Delhi rolls back its decision of August 2019 to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a joint press conference with visiting Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon in Islamabad, Khan said the full potential of the region can be achieved only if the situation in Afghanistan stabilises and there are better ties between India and Pakistan.
The cricketer-turned-politician said it has become very difficult to normalise trade with India after the August 2019 decision. "Unfortunately, since their unilateral decision on Kashmir on August 5, 2019, and because of the violation of international laws and UN Security Council resolutions, it is very difficult for us to normalise trade with (India) because it will be a betrayal of the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people." "So till India reverses (the decision) our relations can’t improve," he added.
Imran Khan's were a reiteration of his recent remarks. Two days ago, Khan had said, "If Pakistan revives its relations with India (without the latter restoring the status of Kashmir), it will be similar to turning our back on the Kashmiris." "We can definitely hold talks" if India rolls back its August 2019 decision, he had added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan on Wednesday signed a defence agreement with Tajikistan under which it will sell domestically manufactured arms to the Central Asian country. The agreement was part of several memorandums of understanding signed between the two countries during the visit of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to Pakistan.
Addressing a joint press conference at the Prime Minister's Office with the Tajik president after their one-on-one meeting and a ceremony where various MOUs were signed, Khan said, "It is very important to improve our defence ties." Khan said they "discussed and signed MOUs on how to meet Tajikistan's requirement for the kind of weapons that Pakistan makes." He said the agreements signed between the two countries will strengthen relations in the areas of education, defence, culture and art.
Khan added that peace in Afghanistan was imperative for better bilateral ties between Pakistan and Tajikistan.
