US has made Pakistan a slave without invading it, says former Pak PM Imran Khan
Lahore, May 16: The US has made Pakistan a slave without invading it, ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed, asserting that the people will never accept an "imported government."
Khan, the 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, was voted out of power last month through a no-confidence motion, which he alleges was plotted by the US with the help of local players over his pursuance of an independent foreign policy.
After his ouster, Khan has held several public rallies in different cities, labelling the new government headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as traitors and corrupt rulers allegedly imposed at the behest of the US.
Following his ouster, he has blamed the US for conspiring against his government an allegation the US and the incumbent government here have refuted.
"The US has made Pakistan a slave without having to invade it. The people of Pakistan will never accept the imported government," he said while addressing a rally in Faisalabad in Pakistan's Punjab province on Sunday.
The former premier accused the US of being a self-centred country that does not help others without seeing its own interest.
Khan on Sunday said that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will "beg" for money from the US Secretary Antony Blinken so that he (Khan) cannot come back to power.
An invitation was extended by Blinken for Pakistan's participation in the Ministerial meeting on Global Food Security to be held in New York on May 18.
Khan accused Bilawal and his father Asif Ali Zardari of being corrupt and stashing their wealth across the globe.
"Since all of Bilawal's wealth is stored outside of the country, he cannot dare to upset the US, otherwise he will lose everything," Khan said at the rally.
The former Prime Minister on Saturday claimed that a conspiracy to assassinate him was being hatched in Pakistan and abroad, warning that if anything happens to him, the people will come to know about the perpetrators through a video message he has recently recorded and placed in a safe place.
Khan has already announced a long march in Islamabad. He said the date of the march would be made public after May 20.
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India & Israel elevate ties to special strategic partnership, vow to soon conclude free trade deal
Jerusalem (PTI): India and Israel on Thursday elevated their "time-tested" relationship to a special strategic partnership and agreed to soon firm up a "mutually beneficial" free trade deal even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly backed the Gaza peace initiative, asserting that humanity must never become a victim of conflict.
Following talks between Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, the two sides inked a plethora of agreements to expand cooperation in areas of trade, agriculture, energy, cyberspace and digital payment.
India and Israel also vowed to expand their already close defence partnership by working towards joint development and joint production of military hardware under the framework of the transfer of technologies.
In his media statement, Modi said India's security interest is linked to peace and stability in the Middle East, adding that New Delhi fully supports the Gaza Peace Initiative.
"India's stance is clear: humanity must never become a victim of conflict. A path to peace has been created through the Gaza Peace Plan. India has fully supported these efforts," he said.
"In the future as well, we will continue dialogue and cooperation with all countries," he said.
PM Modi landed in Israel on Wednesday on a two-day visit. It is his second visit to Israel in nine years.
In his remarks, the prime minister said India and Israel have a united view that there is no place for terrorism in the world and both sides stand shoulder-to-shoulder in countering terrorism and its supporters.
"Our relationship is founded on the strong bedrock of deep trust, shared democratic values, and human sensitivities. Our bond has stood the test of every trial of time," he said.
"Today, we have taken the historic decision to elevate our time-tested partnership to the status of a 'Special Strategic Partnership'," he said.
The prime minister also announced the establishment of an India-Israel critical and emerging technologies partnership to impart a new momentum for cooperation in areas of artificial intelligence, quantum, and critical minerals. "I am pleased that an agreement has been reached for the use of UPI in Israel," he said.
The prime minister, referring to the threat of terrorism, said India and Israel will continue to confront the menace unitedly.
"India and Israel are completely clear that there is no place for terrorism in the world. In any form, in any expression, terrorism cannot be accepted," he said.
"We have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in opposing terrorism and its supporters, and we will continue to do so," he added.
India and Israel also discussed the implementation of the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and cooperation under the framework of I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA).
