Pakistan PM Imran Khan's striking speech targeting Western envoys' joint letter on Russia grabs attention

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan grabbed attentionwhen on Sunday (March 6) he hit out at Islamabad-based Western envoys.

The envoys had urged Pakistan last week to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine which has led to massive loss of life and property.

On March 1, the heads of 22 diplomatic missions released a joint letter. The statement also included those of European Union member states.

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In the statement, Pakistan was urged to support a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Meanwhile, it was not expected that the letter will be released publicly.

Responding to the statement, Khan said, "What do you think of us? Are we your slaves ... that whatever you say, we will do? I want to ask the European Union ambassadors: Did you write such a letter to India?"

Pakistan abstained from voting as the UNGA overwhelmingly reprimanded Russia for invading Ukraine. Some other nations, including India had also abstained.

Pakistan is regarded as a close ally of Russia.

Pakistan PM Khan was still in Moscow when Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.

Khan and his government found themselves in the hot water after he went ahead with a visit to Moscow as fears of an invasion were growing.

"We are friends with Russia, and we are also friends with America; we are friends with China and with Europe; we are not in any camp," Khan said, adding Pakistan would remain "neutral" and work with those trying to end the war in Ukraine.

In an apparent dig at Imran Khan, Maryam Nawaz Sharif tweeted: "How a person loses his mental balance when he sees power being lost. He has neither moral values nor enmity nor does he have any respect for his position."

She added, "First he abused everyone and then said that the state of Madinah was the basis of morality. May Allah protect Pakistan from your evil @ImranKhanPTI."

Here's are some other tweets.