Blinken, Bilawal discuss Pakistan’s economic recovery, counterterrorism

ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: Pakistan and the United States on Tuesday expressed satisfaction at the current positive momentum in Pak-US ties, with Pakistan underscoring that it valued its longstanding and broad-based relationship with the US and wished to further deepen the partnership.

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken telephoned his counterpart Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and underscored the United States steadfast commitment to the people of Pakistan, highlighting that the economic success of Pakistan remains a top priority for the United States while also reaffirming a productive US-Pakistan partnership. The US also affirmed its commitment to continued partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism.

The phone call between the two came hours after US Central Com­mand (Centcom) chief General Michael Erik Kurilla, in a meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, recognised Pakistan’s “continued efforts” for bringing peace and stability to the region”.

Both the State Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in their statements mentioned and focused on Secretary Blinken’s remarks, in which he “stressed that democratic principles and respect for the rule of law are central to the US-Pakistan relationship and these values will continue to guide this partnership forward”. These were the most important remarks in the telephone call by Blinken, clearly reflecting the present domestic political scenario in Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in his fourth telephone call to Blinken underlined the priority attached to economic and trade relations and Pakistan’s particular interest in advancing cooperation on climate change and green energy. “Thanking the U.S. for its support, the foreign minister said that the Standby Arrangement between Pakistan and the IMF would provide impetus to Pakistan’s economic and development imperatives and that Pakistan was committed to bringing structural reforms in its economy to make it more competitive and attractive for business and foreign investment”, said the Foreign Office.

Secretary Blinken assured that the United States will continue to engage with Pakistan through technical and development initiatives and through their robust trade and investment ties. He also welcomed the International Monetary Fund’s approval of a programme to support Pakistan and encouraged continued reforms to promote economic recovery and prosperity. Blinken noted the Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks and affirmed the United States’ commitment to continued partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism. “The Secretary and foreign minister also discussed the destabilizing effects of Russia’s war against Ukraine as well as the United States and Pakistan’s shared interest in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan”, added the Foreign Official. Bilawal in his phone call also noted that during the past year, apart from holding six Dialogues, the exchange of high-level visits had diversified and solidified the relationship. “The two foreign ministers underlined the importance of constructive engagement between Pakistan and the United States for promoting peace, security and development in the region”, said the Foreign Office.

They also discussed the regional security situation, including the threat from terrorism, and reaffirmed their desire to continue close cooperation for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan. The telephone call is the first high-level one between the two sides after the visit of the Ukrainian foreign minister to Islamabad in which he requested Pakistan to side with it in its war against Russia. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto noted the importance of the Black Sea Grain Initiative especially from the perspective of developing countries and concerns regarding food security and inflation, and stressed the need for continued concerted efforts with a view to reviving the deal at the earliest.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto spoke with OIC Secretary General, Hissein Brahim Taha, over the telephone on Tuesday. The telephone call was made against the backdrop of recurring incidents of the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and other European countries. “Condemning the despicable acts, which were clear violations of international law, the Foreign Minister briefed the OIC Secretary General about the resolution adopted by the Parliament of Pakistan in a joint sitting on 6 July 2023, and observance of ‘Youm-e-Taqaddus Quran’ across Pakistan on 7 July 2023, reflecting the aspirations of the people of Pakistan to safeguard the sanctity of the Holy Quran”, said the Foreign Office.

The foreign minister appreciated the urgency with which OIC was responding to these reprehensible acts, under the stewardship of the secretary-general. He commended the OIC for holding an open-ended Extraordinary Meeting of the OIC Executive Committee on 2 July 2023, in Jeddah, and issuance of comprehensive Communiqué after the meeting. The foreign minister also welcomed the OIC decision for holding Emergency Ministerial Meeting on this issue and briefed the Secretary-General about his telephone calls with the foreign ministers of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye in this regard. The OIC Secretary General commended Pakistan’s efforts to combat and counter Islamophobia and appreciated the leading role played by Pakistan in this regard at the UN. The foreign minister assured the secretary-general that Pakistan stood ready to actively participate in all OIC initiatives to arrest the reprehensible tide of Islamophobia.