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In CNN interview, Imran Khan demands US to sack Donald Lu for ‘bad manners, sheer arrogance’

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3 years ago

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  • “For some reason, which I still don’t know, they (Biden administration) never got in touch with me,” Khan laments.
  • Says he aspired to import oil from Russia, but for “some reason, this was taken against him.
  • “I would regret the trip to Russia if we had known about the invasion and I [had] still gone in,” Khan adds.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Monday called on the United States for dismissing Donald Lu, assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, for “bad manners and sheer arrogance as he “threatened” Pakistan.

In an interview with CNN, Khan said the US diplomat told Pakistan’s ambassador that unless “you get Imran Khan removed in a vote of no-confidence — which was not tabled but he seemed to know about it — Pakistan will suffer consequences”.

“And then goes on to say, of course, if you get rid of him through the vote of no-confidence, all will be forgiven — such arrogance […] by the way Becky, this guy should be sacked for bad manners and sheer arrogance,” Khan told CNN’s Becky Anderson.

The PTI chairman said he presented the cypher before the federal cabinet, the National Security Council (NSC), as it was a “blatant interference in Pakistan’s affairs”.

When asked whether he got in touch with US President Joe Biden or other officials, Khan said the NSC had decided to issue a demarche and protest to the US in Pakistan as well.

He mentioned that President Arif Alvi had also asked Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to hold an inquiry into the matter.

Biden administration never got in touch with me: Imran Khan

In a response to a question, Khan said he had a “perfectly good” relationship with the Donald Trump administration, and it was only when Joe Biden came into power that the relations became strained.

“… for some reason, which I still don’t know, they (Biden administration) never got in touch with me; there was no US ambassador in Pakistan, I had no idea,” Khan said.

The PTI chairman noted that his first priority was the people of Pakistan, and he aspired to import oil from Russia, but for “some reason, this was taken against me as if I was being anti-US”.

Giving reasons as to why he believes Washington was behind the regime change, Khan said that the US embassy was calling members of his party, “some of the backbenchers”, who were not happy. “Why were they meeting them?” he questioned, adding that they were the first ones who then jumped ships.

“Why would the US embassy be interested in the backbenchers of our party?” he said.

Replying to a question regarding the current government being an “American replant”, Khan said: “It’s with their blessing […] we all call them imported government but the worst thing is they are a bunch of criminals. 60% of the cabinet is on bail.”

Regarding him being in Moscow on the day when Russia announced war in Ukraine, the former premier reiterated that his visit was planned a long time back and all the stakeholders in Pakistan were on board — the military wanted a hard way from the Russians, the government wanted oil — hence, everything was planned a long time ago. 

“How would I know that the day I land in Moscow, President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin would decide to go into Ukraine.

“I would regret the trip to Russia if we had known about the invasion and then I [had] gone in because I do not believe in military solutions,” he said in reply to a question about whether he regretted his trip to Russia or not.

“I do not believe in military solutions and I have opposed all military ways of achieving political ends,” he said.

Speaking about the next elections: “Whenever the next elections take place not only we will run but I can predict right now that this will become the biggest party in Pakistan’s history because the people are so incensed and feel insulted that these criminals are being forced on his who have been plundering the country for 30 years.

“There is anger in Pakistan and unfortunately because of this becoming public […] there is anti-Americanism. When unpopular governments are fostered on the people the resentment then goes to the US. And unfortunately yes there is anti-Americanism in Pakistan,” the former prime minister said.

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Session of the National Assembly: Government Prioritising Youth Skill Development: Ch Salik Hussain

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The National Assembly was informed that the government is concentrating on developing the skills of young people in order to meet the demand for skilled workers in other countries. To this end, the government has inked agreements with several countries.

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PTA provides a significant update on Pakistan’s Starlink launch.

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4 days ago

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Starlink applied for a license on February 24, 2022, and is currently in communication with the new regulatory body, according to a briefing given to the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT, which was chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, the PTA Chairman.

Starlink needs to register with both the PSB and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) before to starting its satellite services in Pakistan. According to the PTA Chairman, the body will proceed with further actions after the registration procedure is over.

Along with Starlink, Shanghai Space Technology is also making its debut in Pakistan, which should boost internet access and spur technical advancement in the nation.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has also made it plain that until it has government approval, it is unable to grant a license to Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink.

The chairman stated that Starlink has promised to adhere to government regulations and not circumvent the system.

The committee also chose to call a meeting of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) to take up the topic of space technology regulation. Additionally, the committee asked why the PTA is assigning its duties to other groups.

Prior to the launch of Starlink in Pakistan, Elon Musk, the CEO of SPACEX, stated that he was seeking permission from the Pakistani government.

According to information, Pakistani social media user Sanam Jamali and Elon Musk had a discussion on the launch of Starlink in Pakistan on the social media site X (previously Twitter).

Sanam asked Musk to launch Starlink in Pakistan, claiming that it might open the door to a better future by giving people access to the internet and chances to advance.

In response, Musk said that he is awaiting Pakistani official approval to introduce Starlink there. Through a massive network of satellites, SpaceX’s Starlink offers internet services.

Starlink

SpaceX, a private aircraft manufacturer and space transport services provider established by Elon Musk, is the developer of the Starlink satellite internet network. The constellation uses a network of thousands of tiny satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to deliver fast, dependable, and worldwide internet connectivity.

The way we access the internet could be completely changed by this cutting-edge technology, particularly in isolated and underdeveloped locations where conventional fiber-optic and cellular networks are scarce or nonexistent.

High-speed internet access with latency as low as 20 ms is what the Starlink constellation is intended to provide; this is on par with or even better than many current fiber-optic networks.

Every Starlink satellite includes a phased array antenna, which enables it to connect with numerous users at once, offering a flexible and high-capacity network. Fast and dependable internet connection is available to users from almost anywhere in the world with Starlink, which is an exciting advancement for digital inclusion and global connectedness.

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The government has dismissed the PTI’s request for a judicial panel probing the violence on May 9.

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6 days ago

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The federal government’s negotiation team has completed a comprehensive written reply to the demands put out by PTI.

The statement addresses all points presented by PTI, including the rejection to establish a judicial panel for the events of May 9.

The administration highlighted that judicial commissions are constituted for issues not subject to judicial review, and cases pertaining to May 9 are currently being adjudicated in courts, with certain persons having been condemned by military tribunals.

PTI has consented to engage in negotiations with the Prime Minister’s committee. An in-camera session has been arranged at Parliament House to further deliberate on the topic.

The letter response requests comprehensive lists of missing persons and arrested individuals from PTI, inquiring how measures for their release may be implemented without adequate information. Furthermore, PTI’s assertions concerning fatalities during protests necessitate corroborative data.

The government committee intends to deliver the written response to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in the imminent future. The Speaker will determine whether to convene the fourth round of discussions upon receipt of the response.

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