By Imran Nasir

ISLAMABAD (TSAT) - Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday again criticized the European Union ambassadors’ open letter to his government and said they violated diplomatic protocols.

Addressing a public gathering in southern Punjab province, Khan said how any ambassador can write open letter and asked any government to criticize Russia and join them. 

“The EU ambassadors’ open letter over Russian-Ukraine conflict was against all diplomatic protocols." Khan said and adding  “Whether they had addressed such a letter to India.

"We are not slave to anyone,” Khan said.

On March 2, the Denmark ambassador to Pakistan Lis Rosenholm posted a press release on her embassy official Twitter handle signed by the EU, Australia, Japan, UK, Canada, and Switzerland ambassador based in Islamabad and urged the Pakistani government to join them and condemn the Russian attack against Ukraine.

The move spread anger across the country and people strongly reacted to the western envoys' press release and called it against the diplomatic principles.

“Pakistan wants equal relations with the US and all other countries but never could compromise on our sovereignty,” Khan said. 

He also slammed opposition leaders including Maulana Fazlurehman, Shehbaz Sharif, and Bilawal Bhutto, who criticized his earlier statement about the EU ambassadors’ open letter and said  the world never respect those who have not respected itself. 

“As a prime minister of a country with a 220 million population, it is his first and foremost duty to protect their rights and interests of the country. I will not allow any policy which can inflict any harm to the motherland.”

 “I will not compromise upon the national interests just for seeking the pleasure of any country,” Khan added.

Pakistani premier said he spent many years of his life in west during his cricket life and knew the western mindset.

“The western people never respect those who bow down before them and Imran Khan did not bow to anyone and will not let the nation bow down to anyone,” he said. 

 “On the contrary, they respected those who stood for the self-esteem of their nations and countries. They had no respect for those who had stashed away their ill-gotten pelf abroad, he added.

Khan also criticized former president Asif Zardari and prime minister Nawaz Sharif for allowing the US to had carried out over 400 drone strikes in northwestern Pakistan during their tenure from 2008 to 2018. 

“The US drone strikes were against all international laws but these people allowed because their illicit money and assets lying in western countries,” Khan accused the former rulers of the country. 

Khan said once the EU representative asked him why he is opposing the drone strikes in which the US targets terrorists.

“I told them there is a big terrorist who killed thousand people in Pakistan and sitting in London, as the UK will allow Pakistan to carry out a drone attack against him,” Khan said while referring to MQM chief Altaf Hussain, who is currently living in London.

He also speaks on a recent Indian missile fired toward his country and said Pakistan adopted a prudent approach.

“Pakistan is a country that can defend itself. Pakistan is moving on the right path and its economy is set on the right course,” he added.