Pakistan government refuses to attend democracy summit in Washington
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ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has decided not to participate in the democracy summit scheduled to take place this week in Washington.
Responding to media queries regarding invitation to attend the Second Summit for Democracy, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch remarked: “We are thankful to the United States and the co-host countries for inviting Pakistan to attend the Second Summit for Democracy being held on 29-30 March 2023”.
As a vibrant democracy, the people of Pakistan are deeply committed to democratic values and generations of Pakistanis time after time have upheld their faith in democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, she said, adding that This month, the nation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Constitution that is the fountain of democratic polity in Pakistan.
“We value our friendship with the United States. Under the Biden Administration, this relationship has widened and expanded substantially. We remain committed to further solidifying this relationship for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region,” reads the statement.
Pakistan has not been part of the Summit process that commenced in 2021 and required countries to make certain national commitments.
The Summit process is now at an advanced stage and therefore, Pakistan would engage bilaterally with the United States and co-hosts of the Summit to promote and strengthen democratic principles and values and work towards advancing human rights and the fight against corruption, she said.
