The Foreign Office on Friday said there has been a noticeable improvement in Pakistan’s bilateral ties with various other countries, as is evident from the “intense diplomacy” that has been seen in the past few months.
“I think you would have noticed the conduct of foreign policy, the way the engagements are taking place—with the major powers, with the region, with our traditional partners, and also beyond, regions with which we want to enhance our cooperation and partnership,” spokesperson Asim Iftikhar told a weekly press briefing while responding to a question on whether political uncertainty in the country was impacting its foreign relations.
“I think it is very evident that there is a positive, forward movement; there is improvement and further strengthening of bilateral relations and cooperation with a host of countries. That is evident from the series of interactions, the various visits and meetings that are taking place, the intense diplomacy that you have observed in the last couple of months,” he added.
Flood relief
During his briefing, the spokesman confirmed that a planned donors’ conference to be hosted by France would be held by the year’s end. Stressing on a need for the global community to continue its support for rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood-hit areas, he said it would be a “huge task” that Pakistan could not tackle independently. “A comprehensive plan will be taken to this conference,” he said. “We can expect this to take place towards the end of the year, perhaps end-November; final decisions would be taken on this, about the exact timing and the venue of this conference,” he added.
To a question, Iftikhar clarified that the master copy of the cipher sent by then-ambassador to the U.S. Asad Majeed—a copy of which the government claims has gone “missing” from the Prime Minister’s Office—was “safe and secure.” The cipher has repeatedly been cited by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan as “proof” of a foreign conspiracy behind his ouster, despite the narrative being brought into question by the U.S.; two meetings of the National Security Committee; and multiple leaked audios of the former prime minister.
Kashmir
The FO spokesperson also welcomed U.S. Ambassador Donald Blome’s visit to Pakistan-administered Kashmir earlier this week, saying it would enable him to get first-hand knowledge of the region and help to compare its situation with the part of Kashmir occupied by India. The visit has been criticized by India, with its foreign ministry spokesman saying: “Our objection to the visit and meetings in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir by the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan has been conveyed to the U.S. side.”