Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said Pakistan will not engage in dialogue with India unless New Delhi rescinds its August 5 decision on Jammu and Kashmir.

India’s NDA Government on August 5, 2019, had abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, thereby revoking the special status for Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories - J&K and Ladakh.

The premier's remarks came as he addressed a live broadcast session responding to the questions of the general public, according to a Tribune report.

"Unless India retreats from the steps taken on August 5….the Pakistani government will not talk to India at all.

"Unfortunately, the western media and countries raise the issue of Kashmir only to pursue their foreign policy objectives," he said, adding that "they want to see a powerful India to tackle the growing threat of China".

The prime minister added that it is foolish to think that India would stand up to China because it would only result in the former's destruction.

He reiterated that the powerful must be brought under the ambit of the law. "There can't be any prosperity without the supremacy of law."

Secondly, he added, "there is a need to uplift the society's downtrodden to turn Pakistan into a welfare state."

During the last session on April 4, Imran Khan said that he could not defeat corruption alone without the support of the judiciary.

(SAM)