On Tuesday, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan criticised his predecessor General Pervez Musharraf’s decision to join the United States’ (US) war on terror in 2001, saying it was motivated by money and ignored the interests of the Pakistani people.
While addressing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, he called the former Pakistani government’s decision a “self-inflicted wound.” He added that the same financial motivations led to Pakistan participating in the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s, where the country engaged in “Afghan jihad.”
Khan also expressed his dismay over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and highlighted the importance of addressing the situation as it has a spillover effect on Pakistan. Furthermore, he said Pakistan would continue to provide Afghanistan with aid, arguing that his focus is on the plight of 40 million Afghans and not on whether or not such aid is a tacit recognition of the Taliban. However, he said that Pakistan couldn’t blame others for the outcome of the war, as its own leaders, referring to Musharraf, had previously “sacrificed” the country’s “reputation” in exchange for aid, despite public disapproval.
In response to the US’ announcement that it would continue to block the release of $9 billion of Afghanistan’s central bank reserves, the Pakistani PM lamented Washington’s refusal to acknowledge that “unfreezing Afghanistan’s accounts and liquidity will avert the crisis.”
This is the latest criticism floated by Khan against the US, with whom ties have gradually deteriorated over the past few months. During an interview with the PBS in July, Khan claimed that the US had “really messed it up in Afghanistan.” He also criticised the US for using Pakistan as a “hired gun” in its “so-called war on terror.” Khan declared that the Pakistani people no longer wish to be a part of this war, specifically in light of the fatalities and its impact on the country’s already faltering economy. Furthermore, he also refused to attend US President Joe Biden's Democracy Summit earlier this month, apparently as a show of support for China.
Meanwhile, Khan has been under the scanner for the deteriorating economic situation in Pakistan. According to The Express Tribune, the Pakistani government’s external debt has almost doubled during Khan’s tenure. The Pakistani rupee has also significantly depreciated by 30.5% in the three years of Khan’s leadership. Against this dire backdrop, Khan has frequently adopted a combative approach and attempted to deflect attention to India and the United States.