Current Final

Tag: Foreign Office

  • Khan says govt ‘to recognise Israel’, Israel’s president praises Pakistani delegation

    Khan says govt ‘to recognise Israel’, Israel’s president praises Pakistani delegation

    Israel President Isaac Herzog has said that he had had an “amazing experience” while meeting a Pakistan expatriate delegation living in the United States (US). Herzog referred to this visit as an example that showed him “great change” towards Israel’s ties with the Muslim world.

    Herzog said he received a delegation of Pakistani expats who lived in the US “together with other members of other countries in their region”.

    No change in govt’s policy on Israel: Foreign Office

    However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan categorically rejected the notion of any delegation from Pakistan visiting Israel.

    “The reported visit in question was organised by a foreign NGO that is not based in Pakistan,” the Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said in a statement.

    “Pakistan’s position on the Palestinian issue is clear and unambiguous. There is no change whatsoever in our policy on which there is a complete national consensus.”

    The statement further added that Pakistan steadfastly supports the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination. 

    “The establishment of an independent, viable, and contiguous Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with the relevant UN and OIC resolutions, is imperative for just and lasting peace in the region,” the statement added. 

    Govt going to accept Israel: Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan criticised the sitting government as the Pakistani expats delegation visited Israel. More criticism was hurled their way after Herzog praised the Pakistani-American delegation.

    Khan on Sunday criticising the government and alleged that it was going to recognise Israel.

    “This government will strike a deal with India to sell the people of Kashmir, and to top it off, they are also going to accept Israel,” he said while addressing the PTI workers’ convention in Charsadda.

    There was no Pakistan delegation visiting Israel: Anila Ali

    A 15-member delegation visited Israel to promote interfaith harmony. The trip was organised by the American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Council and an NGO called Sharaka. Founder of the American Muslim and Multifaith Women Empowerment Council, Anila Ali, led the delegation.

    After Khan’s allegations, Anila tweeted: There was no #Pakistan delegation visiting #Israel.

    Pakistan does not recognise the state of Israel: Ahsan Iqbal

    Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal clarified no official or semi-official delegation from Pakistan met the Israeli president.

    “The participants in this delegation were Pakistani-Americans who have already provided an explanation in this regard,” the planning minister said in a tweet.

    Iqbal said the policy of the Government of Pakistan is clear — it does not recognise the state of Israel. “All our sympathies lie with brothers and sisters of Palestine.”

    Israeli President received a delegation of Pakistani expats

    “I must say this was an amazing experience. We haven’t had a group of Pakistani leaders in Israel in such scope. And that all stems from the Abraham Accords [a deal brokered by the United States in 2020 which saw normalisation of relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain], meaning Jews and Muslims can dwell together in the region.”

    Israeli President Isaac was speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

    Pakistan refused to accept Israel as a sovereign state because of the Palestine-Israel conflict, and every government that came to power has endorsed this stance. Speculations were being created that the new government was in a way ready to recognise Israel as a sovereign state.

  • US Secretary of State calls Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto

    US Secretary of State calls Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto

    United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday telephoned Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to congratulate him on becoming the country’s new foreign minister.

    Bilawal Bhutto and Antony Blinken tweeted about the telephonic contact between the two counterparts.

    The two also vowed to engage with mutual respect. 

    It is being reported that Blinken extended an invitation to Bilawal to visit the US this month.

    “An invitation was also extended by the Secretary of State for Pakistan’s participation in the Ministerial meeting on Global Food Security to be held in New York on 18 May 2022,” read a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

    Building on the Pakistan-US cooperation in dealing with the Covid pandemic during the last two years, Secretary Blinken also invited Pakistan to the Second Global Covid Summit to be held virtually later this month.

  • BBZ follows ZA Bhutto, becomes Foreign Minister in 30s

    BBZ follows ZA Bhutto, becomes Foreign Minister in 30s

    Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has taken oath as 30th Foreign Minister of Pakistan today (Wednesday).

    The 33-year-old minister joined Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif-led cabinet in an oath-taking ceremony held at Aiwan-i-Sadr, Islamabad.

    He was elected as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) in the general elections 2018. It is for the first time he will be serving as a member of the federal cabinet.

    Former PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto first took the charge of the Ministry of Foreign Ministry in 1963 at the age of 35 during the regime of General Ayub Khan.

    As foreign minister, Bhutto significantly transformed Pakistan’s hitherto pro-Western foreign policy. Moreover, he began asserting a foreign policy course for Pakistan that was independent of the United States (US) influence.

    Bhutto worked to establish stronger relations with China. Bhutto also signed the Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement on March 2, 1963, which transferred 750 square kilometers of territory from Azad Kashmir to Chinese control. 

    Moreover, Bhutto advocated hardline and confrontational policies against India over the Kashmir conflict and other issues.

  • UK distances from Pak ‘political affairs’ after Khan’s ex-brother-in-law extends support

    UK distances from Pak ‘political affairs’ after Khan’s ex-brother-in-law extends support

    British Foreign Office minister Lord Zac Goldsmith has landed himself in trouble after he tweeted in support of former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    On April 10, Zac Goldsmith — whose elder sister Jemima was once married to Khan — said that he was “sad” at the developments in Pakistan. Zac Goldsmith tweeted: “Imran Khan is a good and decent man, one of the least corruptible politicians on the world stage. I have no doubt he will be returned with a big majority in the upcoming elections.”

    British media reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office has slapped down Foreign Office minister Lord Goldsmith after he interfered in Pakistani politics over the ousting of Khan as Pakistan’s premier through a vote of no-trust.

    Downing Street was questioned if Lord Goldsmith, who is Foreign Office minister for the Pacific and the international environment, was speaking on behalf of the British government. A spokesperson responded: “With regard to Pakistan, we respect Pakistan’s democratic system and we would not get into its domestic political affairs. We have longstanding ties with Pakistan and are monitoring developments.”

    Zac and Jemima Goldsmith’s brother Ben Goldsmith also announced support for Imran Khan on Twitter following Khan’s ouster. He said: “My brother-in-law @ImranKhanPTI is a good and honourable man, motivated only by a strong desire to do good for his country.”

    His record as PM is exceptional, most of all on the biggest issue of our time: Pakistan under Imran is now a world leader on environmental restoration.”

    During Zac Goldsmith’s campaign against London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Imran Khan had supported Zac Goldsmith and urged his followers to support his election bid. Sadiq Khan had expressed his bewilderment over Imran Khan’s support for Zac Goldsmith.

  • Political use of ‘diplomatic cable’ to haunt Pakistan’s Foreign Office for many years: report

    Political use of ‘diplomatic cable’ to haunt Pakistan’s Foreign Office for many years: report

    The ‘diplomatic cable’ which has plunged Pakistan into a constitutional crisis, also attracted fair resentment from the Foreign Office (FO) against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for using the communique for gaining ‘political mileage’.

    Kamran Yousaf in his report for The Express Tribune writes, “Two Foreign Office officials, spoke to The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity due to sensitivity of the issue, revealed that the diplomats were not happy with the controversy.”

    One diplomatic on condition of anonymity told Yousaf that the repercussions of the way the government used “secret and classified communication” to achieve its “political objectives and its negative impact” would be felt in the FO for “many years” to come.

    “Diplomats are eyes and ears of Pakistan who give frank and honest feedback from the countries where they serve,” the official added.

    “Such honest and candid assessments are meant for policymakers to devise a strategy accordingly,” the official explained.

    “But if governments start using such secret communications for their political gains, then the diplomats would be reluctant to write honest assessments,” the official cautioned.

    “If the Foreign Office start making public diplomatic cables, people would be blown away,” the official said, insisting such candid discussions between diplomats are common.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on April 3, named Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu as the United States (US) representative who had a meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador in the US, which led to the “threatening diplomatic cable”.

    PM Khan on March 27 claimed that the Opposition’s no-trust move is part of an alleged “foreign-funded conspiracy” hatched against his government. It is pertinent to mention here that the Opposition tabled the no-confidence motion against PM Khan on March 8. The government claims to have received the threatening communique on March 7.

  • Pakistan apologises to North Korea Embassy after police-conducted raid

    Pakistan apologises to North Korea Embassy after police-conducted raid

    Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad has officially made an apology to North Korea after Islamabad police conducted a raid on the embassy on Monday evening.

    During a press conference on Thursday, Sheikh Rasheed said that incident happened due to some misunderstanding.

    He said, “We have apologised [to the North Korean mission, the incident had] happened out of misunderstanding.”

    According to Geo, the embassy has issued a letter to the Foreign Office and Inspector General of Police-Islamabad in which it stated that the police entered the embassy premises around 5 pm on Monday from the back door. They also threatened and harassed the staff. Police searched the storeroom at gunpoint when staff tried to stop them.

    The letter read, “The mission staff reminded them that premises are the embassy exercising the inviolable sovereign territory of DPR Korea and asked them to immediately stop this brutal act against the embassy.”

    According to the letter, the police also damaged property.

    Foreign Office spokesperson said in response, “They have also been informed that they cannot perform such a raid next time without having clearance from the Foreign Office.”

    Islamabad police spokesperson also apologised for the violation of the Vienna convention and will question the security personnel who were involved in the incident.

    He said, “We apologise for entering the embassy.” Police raided the North Korean embassy after receiving reports of having a large number of alcohol bottles on their premises.

  • ‘Onus lies on India to take steps for constructive dialogue’: Pakistan

    ‘Onus lies on India to take steps for constructive dialogue’: Pakistan

    Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, during a weekly media briefing, said, “On multiple occasions, the prime minister and the foreign minister have expressed our position on this matter (dialogue). But India has vitiated the environment — the conditions are not there. We have repeatedly said that the onus lies on India to take necessary steps for an environment conducive for constructive dialogue.”

    Recently, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had said that India was not averse to the possible demilitarisation of the Siachen Glacier provided Pakistan accepted the 110-km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) that separates the positions of both Pakistan and India.

    FO spokesperson was asked about Pakistan’s reaction to any possibility of India’s demilitarisation of the Siachin Glacier.

    “Pakistan has a policy, which is derived from the principle of a friendly neighbourhood. We want peace and friendship in our neighbourhood, good relations with all including India,” the FO spokesperson said.

    “But you have seen how the developments have unfolded in our region; you have witnessed the very hostile Indian attitude especially during the last couple of years and since the illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, in IIOJ&K, the situation has further deteriorated and in this context, we have to see how we can move forward,” he added.

    Talking about law firm Stoke White submitting a report based on over 2,000 testimonies taken between 2020 and 2021, providing extensive evidence to the Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Unit documenting how Indian military and civil leadership were responsible for the torture, kidnapping, and killing of activists, journalists and civilians, he added: “It is self-evident that India can no longer escape international and legal censure for its rampant human rights violations in IIOJ&K, and we call upon the international community, particularly the United Nations and international human rights and humanitarian organisations to hold India accountable.”

  • Pak Embassy in Washington ran out of funds to pay salaries for four months: report

    Pak Embassy in Washington ran out of funds to pay salaries for four months: report

    The Embassy of Pakistan in the United States (US) had reportedly run out of funds and was unable to pay salaries of four months to the embassy’s locally recruited contractual staffers, reveals The News’ sources in a report by Journalist Wajid Ali Syed.

    It was reported that a total of five staffers faced delays and non-payment of their monthly wages from August onwards. One staffer, who had been working there for the past ten years, resigned in September because of the on-going pay crisis.

    Several sources disclosed that the Pakistan Community Welfare (PCW) fund, from which these unpaid staffers were paid out collapsed last year because the money was diverted to purchase ventilators and other medical equipment last year, after the pandemic. The embassy had to borrow money from other account-heads to keep up with the monthly salaries for the staffers hired locally.

    As a result of this, the staffers wrote to the Pakistani ambassador in October. The ambassador repeatedly raised the issue with the Foreign Office (FO) in Islamabad and managed to secure all salaries just last week. The embassy’s spokesperson confirmed that “currently there is no salary-related issue being faced by the Embassy staff.”

    These local staffers’ salaries range from 2,000 to 2,500 dollars per month. They do not get the perks and privileges that FO employees enjoy. The domestic staffers are usually hired to help with the ‘Consular section’ that provides visa, passport, notarization and other consular services.

  • Pakistan condemns Indian leader who called for ‘undoing’ of Partition

    Pakistan condemns Indian leader who called for ‘undoing’ of Partition

    Pakistan has strongly condemned and rejected the “highly provocative” and “irresponsible remarks” made by Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat. In a statement issued today, the Foreign Office said that this is not the first time that the RSS chief has publicly indulged in such “delusional thinking and historical revisionism”.

    Bhagat has called for the undoing of the Partition, terming it as the “the only solution to the pain of Partition.” “India’s suffering at the time of Partition should not be forgotten. It will go away when the Partition of India is undone,” he said while addressing a book launch ceremony.

    “Pakistan has repeatedly highlighted the threat posed to regional peace and stability by the toxic mix of the extremist ‘Hindutva’ ideology (Hindu Rashtra) and expansionist foreign policy (Akhand Bharat) being pursued by the ruling RSS-BJP dispensation in India,” the statement issued by Pakistani foreign office added.

    The statement further said: “The world is witness to the systematic usurpation of the rights of minorities, especially Muslims, in India and the unabated repression of Kashmiris in IIOJK. The reckless misadventures of India, including in February 2019, that seriously imperiled regional peace and stability are also in front of the world.”

    “Pakistan has consistently opposed India’s hegemonic impulses and demonstrated a firm resolve to thwart any aggressive designs. While committed to peace, the people and armed forces of Pakistan are fully capable of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.”

    “Those belonging to the BJP and its ideological fountainhead RSS would be well- advised to refrain from making such provocative and irresponsible statements, accept the established realities, and learn to follow the imperatives of peaceful coexistence.”

  • PM Khan leaves for three-day visit to Saudi Arabia

    PM Khan leaves for three-day visit to Saudi Arabia

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has left for a three-day visit to Saudia Arabia to attend the launch ceremony of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit in the capital Riyadh, announced the Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan, reports Dawn.

    The Prime Minister Office (PMO) said in a tweet that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia had extended the invitation to the premier could attend the event’s launching ceremony.

    The PMO office, in a series of tweets, briefly told about the event that would be taking place in Saudi Arabia.

    At the MGI event, the prime minister will share his perspective on the challenges faced by developing countries due to climate change, PMO statement said.

    The MGI Summit is the “first of its kind” in the Middle East. The PMO office said that during the visit, the premier would also have bilateral interactions with the Saudi leadership, with a particular focus on advancing economic and trade relations, creating more opportunities for the Pakistani workforce.

    The two sides will also exchange views on regional and international issues of interest.

    PM Khan will also participate in an event for the promotion of investment in Pakistan and interact with leading investors and businessmen from Saudi Arabia and the Pakistani diaspora, read the official statement.

    “Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long-standing and historic fraternal relations, rooted deep in common faith, shared history and mutual support,” the PMO said, noting that Saudi Arabia was home to more than two million Pakistanis who were contributing towards the progress and prosperity of both the countries.

    “The visit of the prime minister will carry forward the positive momentum of cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” the statement concluded.