In an apparent reference to the United States, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said “a strong country” was irked by the government’s decision to go ahead with the visit to Russia amid the Ukraine crisis, stressing that foreign policy based on financial aid was not beneficial for the country.

"Being displeased, one of the strongest countries [in the world] asked us why you went to Russia… they are asking a country why it visited Russia and they are angry,” he said while addressing the Islamabad Security Dialogue 2022.

The premier’s statement comes against the backdrop of his apparent allegations of the threat against the US. Holding a “piece of evidence”, PM Imran on March 27 while addressing a public gathering claimed that a foreign conspiracy was behind plans to topple his government and alleged that funds were being channelled from abroad to oust him from power.

No truth in ‘threat letter’ allegations: US

The premier compared the “strong country's” reaction to Pakistan with its response to Indian actions amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis. He added that India, which is one of the countries in the Quad group that also includes Australia, Japan, and the United States – was “neutral” and imported oil from Russia despite sanctions.

“We cannot say anything to India because it has an independent foreign policy. It’s an independent country,” the premier said while quoting UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss’s statement. “Then who are we,” PM asked, adding that the foreign country was against the Russia trip.

However, the premier refused to blame the “strong country”, adding that it was Pakistan’s fault.

Taking a jibe at the opposition’s statement about not disappointing the US, he alleged that the country came to such a situation because of such people. “These [opposition] people sacrificed the national and economic interest for the elite and brought shame to the country,” PM Imran said, adding that the opposition leaders were wary of the similar treatment being done to Russian oligarchs.

In order to build pressure upon Russia, the US had put sanctions on oligarchs supporting Vladimir Putin’s rule.

The premier stressed the need for an independent foreign policy while praising India for having one.

PM Imran Khan blames US for impending regime change

Apparently quoting the excerpts of the ‘threat letter’, he said: “Can any country ever issue such kind of threat to another one? I can guarantee if such developments are reported in their newspapers, it will scare their administration.” The premier reiterated that it was the country’s fault for giving such nations the impression that Pakistan could not survive without them.

He was of the view that foreign policy should be independent which showed the government and the people were on the same page. PM Imran said the country made all its efforts to break the ice between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran, adding that Pakistan had a very big role in Afghanistan. Moreover, he said the European Union and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged him to work with China in resolving the ongoing crisis.

“We should never compromise our people’s rights for dollar aids. This is a trap. Our people have been bearing the brunt of such a policy,” PM Imran said. He also claimed that the country never evaluated the outcome of the country’s participation in the Afghan jihad, stressing that the development had a dire impact.

He further spoke about non-inclusive growth, rule of law, and education.

Earlier, National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf had addressed the dialogue. Experts from 17 countries – including the US, China, and the EU – are participating in the two-day event. He added that security advisers were also deliberating Asia’s security.

“The basic focus of the dialogue is economics, peace, and cooperation,” Yusuf said, adding the country looked forward to no-camp politics with such events.

The Islamabad Security Dialogue initially launched in March 2021 by the National Security Division, in collaboration with the Advisory Board of the National Security Committee of Pakistan was the first of its kind forum to welcome global, regional and local experts, decision-makers and academia to mull over critical challenges and opportunities faced by the country and the region.

The second edition of the two-day ISD 2022 will take place from April 1-2 in hybrid mode where both physical and virtual participation will be allowed.