ISLAMABAD  -  Pakistan said yesterday that it does not believe in zero sum relationships and considers relations with the United States and China as important.   

Speaking at a weekly news briefing here, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan had noted the statement made by the US Assistant Secretary of State, Donald Lu, at the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

“We believe this is an internal debate between the US Congress and the administration. We do not comment on State Department’s budgetary requests. Traditionally, such allocations are made for support to civil society in areas of strategic priorities of the United States government. Pakistan does not believe in zero-sum relationships. For us, relations with the United States and relations with China are both important,” she said.

The spokesperson added: “We do not believe in situations where relationship with one country can be sacrificed on the altar of relations with another. China is an all-weather strategic cooperative partner of Pakistan, and Pakistan will continue to strengthen this relationship going forward.”

She said Pakistan welcomes the ‘Declaration of Unity’ by Palestinian political factions, facilitated by China in Beijing. “The Pakistani government praised China’s role in bringing the factions together for meaningful negotiations. Pakistan reiterated its support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, the right of return, and the establishment of an independent state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” she said.

Baloch said the Human Rights Committee in Geneva has recently concluded its consideration of India’s fourth periodic report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“The committee raised concerns over arrests under draconian laws such as the Public Safety Act and frequent suspension of mobile internet services in IIOJK. Pakistan called on the international community to take note of these human rights abuses and reiterated its support for a just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions,” she added.

In upcoming engagements, she said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Tehran on July 30, 2024, to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s President-elect Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian.

The visit underscores the commitment of both countries to strengthen bilateral cooperation and leadership-level engagement. Additionally, Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi will lead the Pakistani delegation at the 31st ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting, scheduled for July 27, 2024, in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, where discussions will focus on political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

She said the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov, visited Pakistan from July 22 to July 25, 2024.

During his visit, he met with key Pakistani leaders, including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Meredov also engaged in extensive discussions with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar. The two Foreign Ministers co-chaired the Third Round of Pakistan-Turkmenistan Bilateral Political Consultations, she mentioned.

“The two sides also discussed important connectivity projects, such as the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Pipeline and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) Electricity Transmission Line. Additionally, they exchanged views on global and regional developments, including the situations in Afghanistan and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” she said.

The spokesperson said in a related development, the outgoing Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Ambassador Khusrav Noziri, arrived in Islamabad on July 24, 2024, for an official visit.

He is meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and the Minister of Commerce to discuss ECO’s initiatives and activities during his tenure, as well as his reform agenda to revitalize the organization.

Ambassador Noziri’s visit marks his farewell tour as his term concludes next month. He will be succeeded by former Pakistani Foreign Secretary Dr Asad Majeed Khan, who will assume the role of Secretary General of ECO for a three-year term starting in August 2024.

She said Pakistan is currently hosting a two-day Regional Conference on the Export Control Programme for Dual-Use Goods in Central Asia, which commenced on July 24, 2024.

Organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the European Union, the conference brings together senior officials and experts from countries including Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the United States, the EU, and the United Nations. The discussions focus on national approaches to strategic trade controls and promoting international cooperation in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1540. In his inaugural speech, Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to non-proliferation and disarmament, advocating for developing countries’ access to dual-use goods and technologies.

To a question about US State Department’s concern over the possible banning of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, she said the recent decisions of the Pakistani courts, including the Supreme Court of Pakistan, show the strength of Pakistan’s legal and judicial system and the ability of Pakistani nation to deal with domestic political challenges. “And we therefore believe that commentary from abroad is an unwarranted and unacceptable interference in Pakistan’s domestic affairs,” he added.