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News

Ready to engage with new US admin: Qureshi

January 20, 2021 04:00 PM


Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday said Pakistan was ready to engage with the new administration of the United States, considering it an “opportunity to build a long-term, broad-based and multidimensional relationship”.

“Such partnership would require an institutionalized and structured engagement, based on mutual respect and cooperation,” the Foreign Minister said at a webinar on Pakistan’s priorities with the 46th US administration, organized by Karachi Council on Foreign Relations.

Qureshi expressed confidence that President-elect Joe Biden as an “old friend to Pakistan” would work towards strengthening ties between the two countries. He said already an exchange of messages had taken place between Prime Minister Imran Khan and the US president-elect, who expressed interest of working with Pakistan on issues of common interests.

“Our historic ties can reset as Pakistan and US must share an understanding to deal with challenges of present for a better tomorrow,” he said.

Qureshi said the two countries needed to work in confronting challenges in the wake of pandemic, global economic slowdown, climate change and erosion of multilateralism.

He said the US must continue to count on Pakistan as a partner for peace in Afghanistan where other actors did not share the same vision and played role of “spoilers”.

“Both our sides must remain cognizant that achieving an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan would only be the first step towards peace,” he said.

He said Pakistan and the US needed to work together to facilitate Afghanistan’s transition from a war economy to a peace economy, adding that complete support and engagement of international community would be a vital or sustainable for peace and development of Afghanistan.

Qureshi said Pakistan had shifted its strategy of geo-politics in view of the geo-economics.

He said at the cost of 83,000 innocent lives and 126 billion dollar losses to economy, Pakistan had turned the tide against terrorism. Also, the erstwhile tribal areas that suffered the brunt of terrorism have been included into the political mainstream, he added.

He said Pakistan would continue to take action again terrorists on its soil. “Our journey from terrorism to tourism has been exemplified by New York Times that included Lahore as one of the top places to visit in 2021 and 2022,” he said.

Qureshi said Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan was witnessing a fundamental transformation with economic growth and human development as top priorities.

Qureshi receives UAE envoy

Foreign Minister Qureshi received the Ambassador of the UAE to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al Zaabi, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

Qureshi paid rich tribute to late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (May Allah bless his soul) who contributed immensely towards strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries. He acknowledged that the UAE and its leadership steadfastly stood by Pakistan in its times of need.

He termed Pakistan’s relationship with the UAE as a special one. He stressed that the relationship benefitted from the warm sentiments between the leadership of the two countries, as well as the strong people-to-people linkages rooted in shared faith, values and culture. He added Pakistan always accorded paramount importance to its long-standing fraternal ties with the UAE.

Recalling his successful visit to the UAE in December 2020, Qureshi underscored the importance of frequent high-level visits from both sides, which serve to continually provide impetus towards deepening and diversifying bilateral relations. He looked forward to enhanced high-level engagements with the UAE, as soon as the global health situation improved.

Qureshi appreciated the UAE’s support for Pakistan’s Expo 2020 pavilion (to be held in 2021) covering an approximate area of 3,500 sq. meters. The pavilion will exhibit Pakistan’s culture, investment opportunities and tourism potential in the largest exhibition ever staged in the Arab world (190 countries and 25 million people projected to participate).

The UAE Ambassador hailed the strong UAE-Pakistan relations and pledged to work towards further strengthening and diversifying them in all sectors for the benefit of the two countries and their peoples. He acknowledged the positive contribution made by Pakistani Diaspora towards the progress and development of the UAE.

Ambassador Al Zaabi reaffirmed the UAE's desire to develop bilateral ties with Pakistan on the basis of mutual respect, understanding, and common interests.

The UAE is Pakistan’s largest trading partner in the Middle East. Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, (UAE-Pakistan Assistance Programme), valuable support was provided to Pakistan in the areas of education, health, energy and infrastructure development. The UAE is home to more than 1.6 million Pakistanis – the second largest Pakistani expatriates’ community abroad.



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