Pakistan tried to win over the US on Friday, two days after dismissing President Joe Biden’s offer to a summit on democracy, by emphasising the significance Islamabad places on its relationship with Washington.
“We continue to work closely with the United States on a variety of subjects.” “We appreciate our collaboration with the United States and want to develop it bilaterally, as well as regionally and internationally,” Asim Iftikhar, a spokesperson for the Foreign Office, said at a weekly news briefing.
However, he was unable to provide a persuasive justification for Pakistan’s decision to skip the democracy conference if the country valued its relationship with the United States.
When asked to explain Pakistan’s decision, the spokesperson referred to the ministry’s previous statement on the subject and stated that he had nothing new to offer. “With regard to the summit for democracy, I would like to say that our issued statement speaks for itself.”
Pakistan’s measured reaction and carefully crafted statement revealed that this was not an easy decision.
According to official sources, China was adamant that Pakistan remain away from President Biden’s effort, which, according to Beijing, was not intended to promote democracy but rather to enhance Washington’s geostrategic objectives.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman referred to Pakistan as a “true iron brother” when discussing Pakistani Foreign Office statements, implying that Islamabad sought Beijing’s advice before making its final choice.
China, however, was not the only factor. Pakistan was also dissatisfied with the summit’s format. Other countries, including Pakistan, were asked to send pre-recorded comments for the summit of their respective leaders, with the exception of a few select leaders who were to attend Biden.
Because there was no planned debate or discussion, Islamabad believed it was proper to engage the US on the matter at this time.
When asked, the spokesperson stated emphatically that Pakistan has never intended to participate in bloc politics in principle, and that the prime minister’s statement reflected that long-standing attitude.
However, many believe that by declining to attend the meeting, Pakistan has plainly sided with China.
The spokeswoman, on the other hand, downplayed the dispute about the summit’s cancellation. When questioned if the decision to skip the summit was made because China was against it, he called it “unfounded.”
The virtual summit was attended by over 100 countries. China and Russia were not invited, but Taiwan, which Beijing considers to be part of China, was. Beijing reacted angrily to the invitation to Taiwan.
Both the Russian and Chinese envoys to the US wrote a joint essay criticising Washington for using such gatherings to sow discord.
Official sources have emphasised that the Pakistani decision should not be viewed through the lens of bilateral relations. Both countries were conducting their routine bilateral activities, they noted.
“As you are aware, there have been recent exchanges, including a delegation led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory W Meeks and another delegation arriving tonight led by Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Senator King, all of which reflect ongoing, cooperative exchanges with the United States,” the spokesperson stressed.
