US Wanted To Establish Military Bases In Pakistan: Imran Khan

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan has reiterated that during his time in power he would "never have agreed" to any US demands of being given military bases in the country in the aftermath of the former's evacuation from neighbouring Afghanistan, according to a media report.

The 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was voted out of power last month through a no-confidence motion, which he alleges was masterminded by the US with the help of local players over his pursuance of an independent foreign policy. He is the first premier in Pakistan whose fate was decided through a no-trust vote.

Addressing the overseas Pakistanis in a video message, Khan said that the US wanted bases in Pakistan in order to "conduct (counter attacks) from here in case if there were any terrorism in Afghanistan" - something Khan said he found "absolutely unacceptable", Dawn newspaper reported.

He said Pakistan had already lost 80,000 lives in the US-led 'war on terror' and still its sacrifices were never appreciated, with many US politicians blaming it instead.

"First they blamed us, then they didn't appreciate us, our country and tribal areas were destroyed and now (they) are again asking for bases. I would have never agreed to this and the problems (between us) started from there," he was quoted as saying by the paper.