The Shehbaz Sharif government, which recently treated US Ambassador Donald Blome lavishly when he visited Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), has now been summoned for an official demarche by Islamabad after US President Joe Biden termed Pakistan as one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
US Ambassador to Pakistan Blome visited Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) which Pakistan viewed as a victory of its Kashmir position.
Recently, the US President, Joe Biden, at a Democratic congressional campaign committee reception, said that Pakistan may be “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as the country has “nuclear weapons without any cohesion”, according to the statement released by the White House.
“And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion,” the White House quoted Biden as saying.
He made this sharp statement while talking about US foreign policy in the context of China and Russia.
Embarrassed by Biden’s remarks, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that an official demarche will be issued against the US envoy, throwing an egg on his face.
“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 parliament or an interview,” Dawn reported, quoting Bilawal as saying.
Bilawal also highlighted 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” and added that the country has embarked on a “journey of engagement” and marked the 75th anniversary of bilateral engagements with the US, recently.
However, the ongoing situation is likely to halt the quest of Pakistan to maintain good ties with the US which were strained by former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his blame on the US for his ouster.
PML N Chief Nawaz Sharif in a series of tweets criticised the US for having engaged in wars and rebutted Biden’s statement saying that Pakistan’s nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country.
“Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is perfectly capable of safeguarding its national interest whilst respecting international law and practices. Our nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country. Like all independent states,” Sharif said.
Raising question on the foreign policy of US, the PML-N supremo said,”I have 2 Qs on this: 1. On what info has @POTUS reached this unwarranted conclusion on our nuclear capability when, having been PM, I know we have one of the most secure nuclear command & control systems? 2. Unlike the US which has been involved in wars.”
India also conveyed its objections to the United States over the US diplomat’s visit to PoK.
During a weekly presser, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Our objections to the visit and meetings in PoK by the US envoy have been conveyed to the US side.”
Blome’s visit to the PoK was the second high-profile visit by a US diplomat to the region after the US Congresswomen Ilhan Omar visited PoK this year.
India in 1994 had passed a resolution saying PoK is part of India and Pakistan must vacate and end its illegal occupation. A few months ago, Defence minister Rajnath Singh said ” Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) is a part of Indian territory and will continue to be so.”