Will Nobel for Imran help Pakistan, questions BJP leader

Amid the demand in Pakistan for a Nobel Peace Prize for Imran Khan for his decision to release Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav on Saturday wondered if it would really help the neighbouring country pointing to homegrown terrorism in Pakistan and decrying its use by Islamabad as a state policy.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave,  Ram Madhav, responding to talk of a Nobel Peace Prize for Imran Khan, said, ''now the whole demand in Pakistan, in his party, is: now we should try for a Nobel Peace Prize for Imran Khan. Let him take it. But does it really help Pakistan?"

Ram Madhav said the "monster" Pakistan had created had consumed it, but that had not affected its use of terrorism as a state policy.

"I know, you know the monster that they have created in their country...[they] tried to use [it] as a state policy in all these years...[it] has also consumed them so much in the last 10 years or so. But they don't change. They continue to use it as a state policy,''the BJP leader said.

"The perception that is being sought to be created [about Pakistan and Imran Khan], if it really becomes a reality, good for Pakistan. And good for India, and good for the entire world. But we are not going to walk into this perception trap, and then start criticising our own leadership,''Madhav said.

A motion was submitted on Saturday in the National Assembly Secretariat calling for Prime Minister Imran Khan to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The motion submitted by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry mentioned the premier's role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

On Friday, #NobelPeacePrizeForImranKhan became the top trend as the premier was lauded  for his decision to release captured Indian air force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman as a peace gesture to de-escalate tensions with neighbouring India.

The premier, in his address to a joint session of Parliament on Thursday, announced to release Wing Commander Abhinandan as a gesture of peace and goodwill towards India.

However, the IAF has dismissed suggestions that the Pakistan prime minister's decision to release Varthaman was a goodwill gesture, and insisted it is in line with the Geneva Conventions.