KARACHI: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi says he does not see any conspiracy against his government, adding that if there will be one the government is ready to confront it.

In an interview to Geo TV’s programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ on Sunday, he rejected a perception that the country’s policies were prepared at two different forums.

Answering a question, Mr Abbasi rejected the option of early elections in the country. He said a change in the country should always come through ballot box and not through courts or street agitations.

He said he was following the policies of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. However, he added, he and his cabinet were independently running the government and Mr Sharif had neither directed him nor given any advice how the affairs of the government should be run.

He said there was no rift in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the party remained united after the ouster of Mr Sharif from the prime minister’s office.

In reply to a question about a recent controversy over the deployment of Rangers at an accountability court where corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif were being heard, Mr Abbasi said that as prime minister it was his responsibility to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Answering a question about recent border violations by Indian troops, the prime minister said the Indian government wanted to divert attention of the world from human rights violations by its forces in held Kashmir.

He said that in the present circumstances, it would be difficult for his government to enter into a dialogue process with India. Pakistan would first talk on Kashmir and then any other issue with India, he added.

When asked how seriously his government had taken the allegations against Pakistan by US President Donald Trump in his new policy for Afghan­istan, the prime minister said a meeting of the National Security Council had discussed the matter in detail.

Referring to his meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence and a brief interaction with President Trump on the sidelines of the 72nd General Assembly session in New York and recent talks between Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif and senior US officials, Mr Abbasi said it was clear that Pakistan and the US were still engaged and they were still partners in the war on terror.

in reply to a question about the possible visit of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to Pakistan, Mr Abbasi said Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had exten­ded an invitation in this regard to the Afghan president on behalf of the government.

He, however, said the visit of Mr Ghani had not been finalised yet.

Mr Abbasi expressed his support for Finance Minis­ter Ishaq Dar, saying that his performance was better than his predecessors.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2017