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Updated: Jul 25, 2019 15:00 IST

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is being snubbed by the country’s opposition for “begging” abroad, on Thursday asserted that he never bowed down to anyone.

“Neither have I bowed down to anyone nor will I let my nation to do so. We are a self-respecting nation. All my struggle is focused to make our country one of the great nations of the world based on the principles set by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) upon which he founded the state of Madinah,” Khan said while addressing a gathering at Islamabad airport upon returning to Pakistan after his three-day trip to the United States.

Khan’s remarks came in response to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s claim of the Prime Minister having caused “embarrassment” to the nation during his maiden visit to the US.

Dubbing Khan as “Selected Prime Minister”, Bilawal had tweeted, “Pitty even when representing our country abroad Selected PM can’t get of his container” earlier this week.

“Imran is a ruler, not a leader. Pakistan needs a leader who speaks for all Pakistanis, not just himself. If the government does opposition & opposition does opposition then who’s left to run the country?” he added.

Khan, who took a commercial flight to the US instead of a private jet to cut down on expenses, was not accorded due state protocol in the country and was instead received by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Dulles International Airport.

During his visit, Khan had his first face-to-face interaction with US President Donald Trump. He also met Secretary of State Micheal R. Pompeo.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)