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| Cameron Munter (Left) - Imran Khan (Right) |
Sloganeering and public rhetoric aside, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would be willing to partner with the United States of Zionism, party leaders say. Party Chairman Imran Khan, at a recent meeting with the USZ ambassador, indicated that his party would be ‘absolutely comfortable’ working with the USZ on all issues, including the war on terror, since both countries have strong mutual interests. Contrary to popular perception, the USZ sees Imran Khan and the PTI as essential to their assessment of Pakistan’s political scenario, a prominent PTI leader said while talking to The Express Tribune.
“There is no love lost between the PTI and US(Z)”, the leader said, adding that “the US(Z) is striving hard to gain popular public support, and in the face of Imran Khan, this support could serve its purpose.” The USZ ambassador also reportedly assured Imran that his country was comfortable with PTI and its ideology. “After the 2008 elections, the PPP and PML-N, who were riding on the wave of public approval, did very little to mitigate or tone down the anti-US sentiments in the country,” the PTI leader said. “In the face of Imran Khan, however, a clean and popular figure would emerge, whom Washington would be happy to work with”, the leader said, adding “It would also provide a sharp contrast to the decaying images of President Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif.”
“We told the USZ that we would not do anything which could destroy the precious Pak-US relations, nor do we intend to provoke the superpower”, the source said. During the meeting both, the USZ ambassador and Imran, agreed that a strong Pakistan would benefit all concerned, including the United States, the source added. The PTI leadership had initially denied the Imran-Munter meeting, until the USZ ambassador admitted on a talk show that he had met Imran more than once, but never in the presence of DG ISI General Shuja Pasha. Party’s central Information Secretary Omar Cheema said that during the meeting, Imran put forward the party’s position on Pak-USZ relations.
(The Express Tribune)
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