Pakistan FM Bilawal Bhutto defends Imran Khan over his Moscow visit
May 20, 2022
Washington [US], May 20 : Pakistan's recently appointed Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari during a media briefing at the United Nations headquarters on Thursday defended Imran Khan's visit to Moscow, asserting that the former Prime Minister of Pakistan was unaware that Russia would invade Ukraine on the very day he landed in the Russian capital.
"As far the former prime minister's trip to Russia, I would absolutely defend the former prime minister of Pakistan. He conducted that trip as part of his foreign policy and without knowing that -- no one is psychic, no one has a sixth sense -- there's no way we could have possibly known that that would be the time when the current conflict will start," said Bhutto-Zardari said, as reported by Dawn newspaper.
"In his capacity as prime minister, the way he conducted himself in foreign policy, particularly in the context of this Russian trip, I will go as far as to defend the fact that he did not know the Ukraine conflict will start on the very day that he was there," spoke Bilawal, further defending the ousted Pakistan Prime Minister.
The Pakistan Foreign Minister emphasized that neither Pakistan was a part of any conflict nor do they wish to be a part of one. "In fact, we would continue to emphasise the importance of peace," he said.
Earlier, Bilawal had embarked on a trip to the US on May 17 and engaged in discussions with US counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken where he spoke on Pakistan's current food, water, and energy scarcity.
"Pakistan have already been facing challenges in food security, water security, energy insecurity because of a whole host of issues ranging from climate change to issues in our neighbourhood. So this particular initiative is most welcome and most important," said the Pakistan Foreign Minister.
Russia had launched a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24, the day when former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to visit Moscow to push for the construction of a long-delayed, multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline to be built in collaboration with Russian companies. Many referred to Imran Khan's visit as ill-timed.
