The US is now perceived as a “bigger enemy” in Pakistan than India, the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Sunday, while voicing concern that his country is “petrified” it could be bombed every time a terror attack takes place in India, US or Europe. Imran Khan further said that no amount of confidence-building measures will help India and Pakistan if intelligence agencies from the two countries interfere in each other’s business. “No matter how far we go with confidence-building measures, one act like Mumbai will bring us back to square one,” he said. Addressing a gathering of students at the Columbia Journalism School, Imran Khan said that thanks to the American policy in Pakistan, a majority of Pakistanis now perceive US to be a bigger enemy than India. “What the American policy has achieved in Pakistan is something which is almost impossible to imagine.
About 80 per cent of Pakistanis perceive US to be a bigger enemy than Indians” even though Pakistan and India have fought four wars, he said. On whether he thinks India is an “existential threat” to Pakistan, Imran Khan said “no I don’t think so.” He said Pakistan and India should have a “completely new relationship,” as this will benefit the Sub-Continent, adding that a relationship based on suspicion is completely counter-productive for both countries.