Imran Khan reveals Pakistan’s former army chief sought ’friendly ties’ with India, says ’Gen Bajwa put pressure on me...

India-Pakistan ties may have improved in recent years if former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had had his way. Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has revealed that the former army chief had pressurised him to develop friendly ties with the neighbouring nation when they were at the helm of affairs. 

“General Bajwa wanted me to develop friendly ties with India. He put pressure on me for this and it was one of the reasons our relationship deteriorated,” Khan told reporters on Saturday evening.

The ousted premier insisted that Pakistan should only hold peace talks with India provided New Delhi restores the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

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While ties between the two nations have long been strained, things took a turn for the worse in 2019 after the Narendra Modi-led government abrogated Article 370, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the State into two Union Territories.

Pakistan is currently facing a precarious impasse on multiple fronts, encompassing political, economic, security, and human rights issues. The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had approached the Supreme Court of Pakistan last week against the Election Commission's decision to delay the provincial elections in Punjab. 

"If elections are not held within 90 days in two provinces Pakistan will be without a constitution…Pakistan is facing a critical moment in its history. The nation must stand by the Constitution and rule of law,” Khan said on Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies)