Janjivan Bureau / Islamabad : Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the “core issue” of Kashmir, through talks, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan said on Thursday, asserting that the blame game between the two neighbours, detrimental to the sub-continent, should stop.
“If they take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start,” 65-year-old Khan said at his first public address after leading his party to victory in the general elections held on Wednesday. His party emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly elections, amid rival parties’ claim of “blatant” rigging by the army in Khan’s favour.
After a tediously slow count, Pakistan election officials Friday announced Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won 109 of the 269 seats being contested in the National Assembly. The election Wednesday gave his nearest rival, Shahbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League 63 seats. Sharif who heads the party of jailed ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif has rejected the results charging widespread fraud and manipulation.
Khan declared his victory on Thursday and dismissed the allegations of fraud calling it the most transparent election in Pakistan’s history.
Third place went to the left of center Pakistan People’s party with 39 seats. Results from 20 seats were still being counted.
Khan, who is set to be the next Pakistan PM, said Kashmir was the “core” issue between the two countries and it should be resolved through talks.
“I am a person who arguably knows most people in India because of my days in cricket. We can resolve the poverty crisis in S-E Asia. The biggest problem is Kashmir,” he said, suggesting that the two sides should come to the table.
“We want to improve our ties with India, if their leadership wants it too. This blame game that whatever goes wrong in Pakistan’s Balochistan is because of India and vice versa brings us back to square one,” he said. He said good India-Pakistan relations would be beneficial for the entire region and suggested increased trade ties between the two neighbours. Ties deteriorated after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India’s surgical strikes in PoK.
