Pakistan’s most famous cricketer Imran Khan has begun a new innings — as prime Minister of the country. But barely five weeks after the populist leader was sworn in – he’s dealing with some major problems – including a stagnant economy and some diplomatic challenges.

While Pakistan’s ties with China are blossoming with close cooperation in regional security and economic investments such as CPEC, he faces major challenges in other areas. Relations with traditional ally, United States, have soured. Washington cut $300 million in aid to Pakistan over its perceived inability to tackle extremist groups. Tensions with neighboring Afghanistan continue to rise over accusations of terrorism.

Khan also suffered a major setback when India rejected his offer for a meeting between the foreign ministers of both nations in New York. New Delhi initially accepted the offer, but later withdrew, blaming “Pakistan based entities” for the recent killing of Indian security forces.

CGTN’s Anand Naidoo spoke about those issues with Pakistan’s foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

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Pakistan FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi on US-Pak relations: He said Pakistan “can’t help on the western border if skirmishes continue on Eastern border”. He was briefing journalists at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington DC on Sunday ahead of his visit to New York to attend UNGA. pic.twitter.com/Nqn9CuJHpZ

— VOA DEEWA (@voadeewa) September 24, 2018

 

Once small fishing town off Arabian Sea in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Gwadar is now rising fast at economic landscape of country and attracting more businessmen https://t.co/OFbbkgumDg pic.twitter.com/Ever1DsmEv

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) September 27, 2018