Pakistan to summon US envoy over Biden’s 'surprising' remarks: Bilawal

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that US President Joe Biden’s remarks about Pakistan’s nukes has surprised him and the Foreign Office will summon the American ambassador to hand him a demarche, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Addressing a news conference in Karachi on Saturday, Bilawal said he has talked to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the issue and that Pakistan nuclear assets were in safe hands.

Bilawal maintained that the government has decided to summon US Ambassador Donald Blome for an official demarche on US President Joe Biden’s remarks on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.

At a Democratic congressional campaign committee reception on Thursday, Biden said Pakistan may be “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as the country has “nuclear weapons without any cohesion”.

Bilawal said that Pakistan’s nuclear assets “meet each and every international standard in accordance with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) as far as security and safety is concerned.”

Bilawal hit back at the US says “If there is any question as to nuclear safety, then it should be directed at our neighbour India, which very recently accidentally fired a missile into Pakistani territory. This is not only irresponsible and unsafe but raises genuine and serious concerns about the safety of nuclear-capable countries.”

The Pakistani foreign minister averred “I am surprised by the remarks of President Biden and I believe this is exactly the sort of misunderstanding that is created when there is a lack of engagement.”

Bilawal said that Pakistan had embarked on a “journey of engagement” and just marked the 75th anniversary of bilateral engagements with the US. If this was such a concern, I imagine it would’ve been raised in that meeting with me, I believe that we have just started our journey of engagement and we will have many more opportunities to engage with the US and address any concerns and misconceptions they might have to this specific question.”

The foreign minister announced “We have called the US ambassador for a demarche. An an opportunity should be allowed to Washington to explain the position. I don’t believe it negatively impacts the relations between Pakistan and the US. We will continue on the positive trajectory of engagements we are having so far.”

Bilawal went on to say that Pakistan had nothing to do with Biden’s statement. “We will call their ambassador and issue a demarche, but I don’t think this was an official function. It wasn’t an address to the Congress or an interview. It was a fundraiser. It was an informal conversation in which this sentence was used so it should be seen in this manner, I think we will look at this statement in this way.”

Bilawal further said that the nation should desist from going into conspiracy theories, clarifying had the government felt any pressure, it would have been brought before the public. “But there is no such issue, we have varying stances on different issues, but when you’re responsible and mature states, you engage,” he added.

Imran’s foreign policy was a disaster, says FM
Turning to political front, Bilawal said PTI Chairman Imran Khan was a liar and it was the government’s responsibility to expose his reality in front of the nation. He claimed during his tenure as the prime minister, Imran failed to fulfil any of the promises he made to the people.

Bilawal assailed the PTI chief’s foreign policy, claiming that it created huge losses to the country and compromised Pakistan’s bilateral ties with friendly countries. “Today, we are trying to correct that loss, we will have to work hard but I’m satisfied that the direction of our foreign policy is right now.”

Bilawal recollected that Imran Khan has passed “irresponsible statements” on the country’s nuclear assets in the past. “When he had to leave the prime minister’s seat, he publicly said that it was better that an atomic bomb was dropped on Pakistan. Find me one example in world history, where a person who is a former premier, says such things about his own country.”