Normalise trade ties, but keep Kashmir on table: Imran Khan
From the Archives: Interview with Chairman, Tehreek-e-Insaf Party, Pakistan
(This interview was first published on November 8, 2012. We have republished the copy as Imran Khan's party has emerged victorious in the recently concluded elections and the legendary cricketer is on the road to become the prime minister of the neighbouring country.)
The Tehreek-e-Insaf party is considered by many to be a front-runner in the general elections in Pakistan, scheduled to take place early next year. Its chairman and former Pakistan cricket skipper, Imran Khan, tells Indivjal Dhasmana he wants Pakistan and India to normalise ties in a holistic manner by keeping the Kashmir issue on the table. Edited excerpts:
Q. Am I talking to a future Prime Minister of Pakistan?
Well, you are talking to someone who has always been an optimist in life. We used to step on the cricket field and always thought we would win. So, clearly I think we would win. Then, of course, until the last ball is bowled, the match is not over.
Q. After hostile relations for many years, India and Pakistan have been moving fast on normalising trade relations. How does your party view this, and if it comes to power, will it grant most-favoured nation status to India?
I believe in a holistic approach. If you follow a piecemeal approach on trade relations and don't deal with other issues — especially Kashmir — this is not the way to go about it. I think the Kashmir issue is solvable, because we have three ex-foreign ministers, all of whom said we came pretty close to solving the Kashmir issue. So, if Kashmir is also on the table and simultaneously you open up trade and confidence building measures, that is the way to go.
Q. How will your party find a solution to the Kashmir issue?
When you start a dialogue, when you sit down, that is when you come to a solution. The Kashmir issue is very complex, but it is "solveable". It is not impossible.
Q. How do you view the ongoing anti-corruption movement in India?
The leadership has to be clean. They must hold themselves accountable first. For instance, in our party, all our leadership has declared their assets, their taxes and we have put these on a website. So, you must make yourself accountable first, and then hold others accountable.
Q. You were talking to Janata Dal (United) Member of Parliament N K Singh and told him that your party's model is similar to what Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been doing in Bihar. What are the similarities that you were referring to?
What does Bihar show? A leader of integrity, who is selfless, who concentrates on giving good governance. This way, you can lift the whole state, you can bring prosperity. Our model is similar. We want good governance. We think Pakistan has great potential. Our problems are similar to what they are in Bihar.
Q. How will you solve the problem of militancy in your country?
We will immediately disengage from this American war so that the narrative of Jehad is taken away from the militants. And then you can control it. As long as we are perceived to be fighting America's war and they have already declared jehad against America, then Pakistan is only being attacked by the militants. So, we have to disengage, negate the narrative of jehad from the militants. And then we win the tribal people to our side, isolate the militants and we win the war.