Welcome to hardtalk. Im stephen sackur. Kahn won power in pakistan two years ago with a promise to root out corruption and take on the countries vested interest. So hows it going . Well, rising food prices and the covid pandemic have left many pakistanis feeling worse off. While the Anti Corruption drive has become a political battleground. My guest today ishaq dar was pakistans Finance Minister a former Prime Minister nawaz sharif now both of those men are trying to rally opposition to imran khan. But how much credibility do they have . Ishaq dar, welcome to hardtalk. Thank you for having me. Let us begin with your personal status, your legal status. You are a wanted man in pakistan. Are you here in london to escape the judicial process . Not really, i think you must be aware of the pakistan history. When our in pakistan over 73 years the rhetoric has been used over the last two dictatorships and the current one isnt different. Because this regime is known to be under the martial law.
About something so what i do in this book is i restore history to the subject of covert electoralinterference. I debunk as myth that this is confined to the 2016 election. I show how the soviet union interfered in elections during the postwar period and how they went toe to toe during the cold war, how russia is interfering in elections all over the world today and only then to do i 2 examine 2016 and its aftermath because at the moment russia is actively interfering in the 20 20 election and to me by restoring that history to Public Discourse and by preceding the fact that this is not all new we can prepare for and defend against this threat in a much more effective and comprehensive way. What is new about what russia is doing and what are they doing that theyve always done . Whats new here . I would say whats not new is the idea of russia covertly interfering in the us election area as i detail in the book russia targeted, the soviet union targeted americas 1960, 68 and 84 elections
Michael pompeo for a special conversation with us. Because the secretary with us before brussels 2018, its great to have again. E will be closely watched conversation on challenges facing policy drones on bothic sides in terms of this as always, let me say a word of thanks to our partners, our Founding Partners in the foreign affairs, and all our associate and supporting knowledge partners, im grateful to me say a special thank you to your submissions brief missions instant partnership and support. Let me also say a word secretary make brief to turn this over f for, the wall street journal, will have a conversation with the secretary then the as well. Thank you for joining. Over to you. Secretary of state asking for opening remarks, is mine to keep him busy and we will take questions from the audience. Inviting me. For wanting to watch this today. As we referred too 18 months ag, i made the case to you all that both institutions are in demand themselves we have to assess what they do a
Today. Really delighted. Its a selfevidently important topic and this is a great reason to be discussing this to highlight, promote, discuss this great new book that has come out on tuesday, the third was the official launch date and this is about a topic which is relevant and important and its understudied. I dont want to waste too much time here. I will only have an intro so i can highlight the work of a reprint for the wall street journal on the same topic and im going to quote from one of her stories from april of this here because iyear because it sp nicely where a piece coauthored chinese spies are recruiting the u. S. Officers as part of a sustained campaign to shake loose the government secrets and current and u. S. Officials say china has grown bolder and more successful in traditional spy games including targeting the less congressional and then she quotes the now infamous tape and by the fbi that no country poses a more Severe Threat in china and they are doing it through Ch
This institute of the international affairs. Here the texas a m university. I would like to welcome our special event tonight with kim, she will speak in a recent book black waves. In the 40 year rivalry that and reveled cultural religion in the middle east. I actually spent the reading weekend reading. I could put down. If you have not read it, i am sure you will try to get the book if you have not already after this evening but i would urge you to read it printed it is absolutely fascinating. It is very well written print is a narrative flow to it is very troubling i have to say but thats part of the book i think. I would like to announce unfortunately that are event in todays with them best or dennis ross who is another expert in the middle east is unable to come to conversation had a family emergency. I was lecture wednesday evening will be postponed until later. Kim is an emmy awarding journalist and writer who comes from a middle east for bbc in the financial times. Reported from