...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is
Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
's (PTI) move to stop NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis....
supplies as a wrong one, Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid has said that Imran Khan
... aka
Taliban Khan, who is the lightweight's lightweight...
is "fixed in his purpose of ruining" Pakistain's relations with NATO countries and neighbouring Afghanistan.
Talking to news hounds at the 4th International Literary and Cultural Conference at Alhamra, the minister said, "Anyone who wants to disturb our relations with neighbours is not serving the country," Rashid said. "Because of Imran Khan we could be isolated in the world."
He said that demands regarding closure of NATO supplies by PTI Chairman Imran Khan were unrealistic and did not serve the cause of Pakistain.
"The NATO containers transport food items for the Afghan brethren and not arms, while Paks have close ties with the people of Afghanistan," he added.
He said any step by the Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) to stop food supplies to the Afghans could be detrimental to the regional ties.
He said that all Central Asian countries, besides Afghanistan, had cordial relations with NATO countries, and even Iran had improved its ties with the United States.
"Stalled diplomatic relations with Afghanistan could only benefit Pakistain's foes," the minister added.
Commenting on Imran Khan's statement of a thousand-year war, he said the masses always had to bear the consequences of wars.
"Pakistain wants to spread love not hatred," he added.
Pervaiz said that no NATO supplies were run on Saturdays and Sundays, and it was beyond comprehension which NATO supply Imran Khan's PTI wanted to stop on November 23 and 24, the weekend.
"It seems that the PTI leader has always preferred to hold protest rallies on the weekends," he added.
The information minister said that Imran Khan spoke for the Taliban, while his sword was for the US. To a query, he said that no representative from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central...
was allowed to address the protest rally in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire.
, which raised questions whom the PTI was representing and serving.
He also said that Imran Khan had a dubious stance on drone strikes.
"In the first information report (FIR) lodged against the drone attacks, he (Imran) had not mentioned anyone's name. Didn't Imran know the perpetrators of the drone strikes?" he asked.
"Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
had established himself as a great leader at a time when Imran Khan was frolicking on the cricket fields," he recalled.
He said the PML-N government supported peace and rejected the politics of hatred, intolerance and isolation.
He said that Pakistain could not afford the politics of isolation, as it needed friends, not foes, in today's world.