SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi has said that Pakistan is looking forward to work closely with the new US administration and it is a ‘fresh opportunity to burnish Pakistan’s credentials.”
The visit follows an unusually account of candid conversation between Trump and Sharif, which has generated a great deal of interest in the American media and enthusiasm in Islamabad as to how the two countries – whose relationship has seen many ups and downs – will take forward their relations under the new president.
He was talking to the representatives of print and electronic media at Pakistani Embassy here on Monday.
Under the Obama administration, Pakistan has been facing intense pressure for allegedly allowing cross-border movement of militants who, in turn, fuel the Taliban insurgency and create problems for the United States. Obama also did not visit Pakistan during his two terms as president, while making two trips to New Delhi, which Pakistan views as a major threat.
But Fatemi cited a number of common and bilateral interests including the fight against terror, Afghanistan stability and South Asian peace via improvement in Pakistan-India relations, where Islamabad and Washington can align their efforts.
He also argued that Pakistan has been a strong Muslim democracy and US ally in the region, and both countries have reasons to work and achieve “bilateral, regional and global” national security and foreign policy goals.
He was currently holding informal meetings with officials of the outgoing Obama administration in Washington and plans to have interaction with “friends and well-wishers” in the Trump transition team in New York.
“Once President-elect Donald Trump assumes his office, Pakistan is looking forward to meaningful engagement with USA in further improving bilateral relations and playing its role in the context of regional and international issues,” he said.
He said that Pakistan could play an instrumental role in promoting peace not only in Afghanistan but in the entire region.
Highlighting Pakistan’s unflinching commitment to putting an end to terrorism and militancy, Fatemi stressed that Pakistan has lost more than 5,000 army men in a ruthless war against terrorism and has deputed more than 200,000 troops in its Northern Areas and along Pak-Afghan border and these troops are being used with full force along with the F-16s by Pakistan Air Force in bursting terrorists networks and demolishing their hideouts.
Fatemi also underlined the need for a dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the long-standing issue of Kashmir between both the countries. He mentioned that there is an indigenous, widespread and home-grown uprising in Indian Occupied Kashmir which Indian Govt is trying to suppress through horrendous human rights violations.
Meanwhile, Tariq Fatemi met with the Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department on Monday.
According to the Pakistani embassy, Deputy Secretary Blinkin expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the region. Pakistan’s participation in the Heart of Asia Conference held in Amritsar as well as Islamabad’s earlier pledge at the Brussels Conference to provide $500 million for development projects in Afghanistan.
He also praised Pakistan’s generosity in hosting millions of Afghan refugees for over four decades and expressed appreciation on the recent decision to extend the deadline for the repatriation of these refugees.
