Imran wants Indo-Pak relations based on mutual respect

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has urged Pakistan and India to have better relations based on mutual respect. “We can’t change our neighbors, but can live in peace with them,” Imran said addressing the National Health Services (NHS) joint conference of British Pakistani Doctors Forum (BPDF) and British Association of Doctors of Indian Origin (BAIO) at Birmingham.
BPDF President Dr Akmal Makhdum, BAIO Prsident Dr Ramesh Mehta, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gawaskar, mayor of Birmingham, Anita Ward, also spoke on this occasion. Imran said PTI if came to power would establish good relations with India and make the subcontinent the most prosperous place in the world. He appreciated the Indian doctors for recognising Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH) as a charity organisation and hoped they would continue their help for it.
He said people of different faiths from all over the world had helped him in building the first private cancer hospital in the world. Imran said since he joined politics, different governments in Pakistan had stopped supporting his hospital, but he lauded the Pakistani people, including overseas Pakistanis, for their tremendous support in meeting Rs 1.8 billion annual deficit of his hospital. He said 70 % of cancer patients at SKMCH were provided with free treatment.
As the number of cancers patients was rising, work on a new cancer hospital had already started in Peshawar while work on a third one in Karachi would start in next few months, he revealed. Cricket-turned politician, Imran Khan, while commenting on the current political situation in Pakistan, said all the big leaders of both government and opposition were busy in plundering the national wealth and had deposited their money in foreign countries. They had no sympathies for the people of Pakistan, he said.
He added the people of Pakistan who were fed up with corruption, bad governance and injustice in the country wanted a change for the betterment of their lives. He said Pakistan was the only country that had been using its army to kill its own people and alleged that the rulers had allowed the drone strikes for a few dollars. Imran said PTI would start “Save Pakistan” campaign on June 25 from Multan with a one-point agenda demanding free and fair elections in the country. He appreciated the efforts of Dr Akmal Makhdum for organising a joint conference and generating funds for Shaukat Khanum Hospital.
Dr Akmal, in his address, said first time in the history of UK both Pakistani and Indian doctors joined hands and organised a charity event on one platform. He thanked Indian doctors for their help for cancer hospital. Dr Akmal was given an excellence award for his services in bringing Pakistan and Indian doctors together.