War on terror must change, argues Pakistani cricket legend

Former Pakistan cricket captain Imran Khan has appealed to the EU to press the US to adopt a "change in strategy" in its self-proclaimed war on terror.

Speaking in parliament on Thursday, Khan,now a prominent politician in Pakistan, said the US-led war on terror was "destined to fail."

He was speaking days after the deadly Marriott Hotel bombing in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Saturday that killed 53 people and wounded more than 270.

The group thought to be behind the attack has threatened more attacks, warning again that Pakistanis should stop cooperating with the United States.

The EU, a close ally of Pakistan, recently announced that it is preparing to help poorer countries like Pakistan to combat terrorist groups better. EU anti-terrorism co-ordinator Gilles de Kerkhove said earlier this month the EU was drafting a plan at the request of the United Nations.

Khan was in Brussels to meet lawmakers and brief members of parliament´s Friendship Group with Pakistan on the current political situation in his country. He later told a news conference that America´s current anti-terror strategy in his country was causing a "tremendous amount" of collataral damage with the loss of "many" innocent lives.

"In Pakistan and Afghanistan the war on terror is being lost and there has to be a change of strategy because the current has failed and is generating even more radicalisation.

"Things are going from bad to worse and I am hear in Brussels to appeal to the EU to press the US to adopt a different strategy."

After retiring from international cricket in 1992, Khan entered Pakistan politics and formed his own political party, the Tehreek-e-Insaf.

His comments were echoed by UK Tory MEP Sajjad Karim, chairman of the friendship group, who said, "A stable Pakistan in the interests of both Pakistan and the EU."

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