ISLAMABAD, MAR 05 (DNA): Chairman PTI Imran Khan has said there is no denying the fact that peace with India is the only option for stability in the region adding Kashmir holds key to success or otherwise of any peace initiatives   between the two countries.

He also called for empowerment of women  and assured the international community that PTI will leave no stone unturned in this regard.

Iman Khan was talking to ambassadors of European and other countries at a dinner hosted by Dr. Shahzad Waseem. Senior PTI leadership including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Jehangir Tareen, Aleem Khan, Naeem ul Haq and others were also present.

Imran Khan further said PTI is in favour of trade and people to people relations with India because peaceful relations with the neighboring countries, and especially India would be in the larger interest of regional countries.

While obliquely recognizing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s peace overtures with India, Imran Khan said unfortunately the Indian leadership led by PM Modi did not reciprocated in the same fashion.

Resultantly, he said, peace moves with India were frustrated, blame for which would surely lie on the shoulders of the India leadership and stubborn stance of Modi. “Peace with India of course should be important but unfortunately things are not going anywhere”, he added.

On a question about Afghan refugees Imran Khan said the government wants to facilitate the refugees and does not want to send them back forcibly, however whenever a terrorists attach happens in Pakistan, fingers then are pointed towards certain elements present in Pakistan in the garb of refugees.

While talking about relations with Iran, Imran Khan said Pakistan should have friendly relations with Iran adding Pakistan, Iran gas pipeline project can serve as a catalyst to further cement and strengthen these relations.

Imran Khan said, PTI believes in women empowerment and a major chuck of PTI workers comprises women.

“Even in KPK PTI government is trying to ensure maximum women empowerment nevertheless it has to keep in consideration KPK culture and traditions also. Women education is also top most priority of the KPK government”, he added.

The PTI chairman said this time his party will make sure that there is no rigging in the elections.

When a diplomat asked as to how the PTI will make sure that elections are held in free and fair manner, Imran Khan said they have completed their home work in this regard and this time they will plug any mischievous activity before the elections instead of pointing it out after the polls.

“We have prepared a set of recommendations which, shall soon be presented to the Election Commission and the concerned authorities for action’, he added.

When the Bosnian ambassador raised the issue of commission formed to investigate the elections rigging charges and its decision, Imran Khan said the said Commission did not give a clean chit to the defendants. The Commission only said the election was “largely” fair.

When the diplomat drew his attention towards the international monitors who monitored the elections and did not  raise any objections to the electoral process, Iman Khan said, “ the election monitors if are born 10 times, even then they cannot detect any flaws in the process because rigging is done systemically and scientifically”.

Imran Khan said social media has created immense awareness among the masses adding it is now the easiest source of getting the message across.

He said PTI government has done revolutionary things in KPK to improve lot of general public. The police of KPK have fully been reformed and made an independent institution.

No politician now can influence the police and police are trained and taught to treat everybody equally. =DNA

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