• PM Shehbaz slams PTI chief for harming Pakistan’s foreign relations.
• Calls interview to FT reminder of Khan’s “vicious role”.
• Premiers says nation shocked by his “deceit and treachery”.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday criticised PTI Chairman Imran Khan for harming Pakistan’s foreign relations to pursue “his own petty politics”.

The premier’s comments came as a reaction to PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s interview to Financial Times in which he expressed his wish to mend ties with the United States.

The prime minister, taking to Twitter wrote that Khan’s interview with the publication is a reminder of his “vicious role” in harming the country’s interests.

“Niazi’s interview with FT in which he rebutted his foreign conspiracy theory is a reminder of vicious role he played to harm Pakistan’s external relations while pursuing his own petty politics,” PM Shehbaz tweeted.

He further added that the nation is shocked by Khan’s “deceit and treachery inflicting irreparable damage on Pakistan”.

The PTI chief, in an interview to FT, signalled the desire to fix his relationship ties with Washington through cooperation in the future. Khan earlier maintained the stance of a “US conspiracy” behind his removal from the prime minister’s office through a no-confidence motion in April this year.

The former premier said that he no longer “blamed” Washington and would want dignified ties if re-elected into the PM office.

‘Khan will be held accountable’: Marriyum Aurangzeb

Earlier today, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb Monday lambasted the PTI chairman saying that he had now given up the foreign conspiracy narrative after playing havoc with national interests.

She added that the former premier could not be pardoned after retracting from his narrative and that he will be held accountable.

“After terming the parliament, the Pakistan Army, and the national institutions as traitors, he can’t be let off just by saying it’s behind me and it’s over,” the PML-N leader added during a presser.

Khan, she said, had no other option but to surrender his fake rhetoric of the conspiracy, imported government and regime change. “Imran Khan put Pakistan’s interests in grave danger for the lust for power,” she added.

‘Khan’s U-turn unacceptable’: Senator Sherry Rehman

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said that Khan should not try to withdraw his US conspiracy narrative now as this was a matter concerning national security.

Rehman took to Twitter and said that Khan’s U-turn is “unacceptable”. She added the former prime minister, after causing diplomatic damage to Pakistan, is saying that he will not blame the US.

“The audio leak shows that Imran Khan fabricated and false narrative and planned to play on it,” she wrote in her tweet adding how Khan accused national institutions based on the narrative.