Cut aid to Pakistan: Imran urges Britain

Imran, also the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, told BBC Radio 4 that Pakistan was "more poverty-stricken than ever" but little international aid reached the intended target.

Britain plans to increase its annual aid from 140 million pounds ($217 million) to 350 million pounds ($543 million) over the next few years, Online news agency reported.

"If we don't have aid we will be forced to make reforms and stand on our own feet," Imran was quoted as saying.

He said aid money propped up corrupt governments and reforms were what would save Pakistan.

"Unfortunately, aid has been a curse for Pakistan. Total aid is about $20 billion. This $20 billion is not helping the people of Pakistan," he said.

Earlier, Imran had said Pakistan should also not accept aid from the US. He said the US should trust Pakistan to find a solution to the terrorism situation on its own.

He said the "unwinnable war" in the region would never be settled militarily and that the answer lay in "political settlement".