Pakistan is looking for strong bilateral trade and investment ties with theUS under the new administration of President Joe Biden, country’s envoy toWashington Asad Majeed Khan said on Friday.
In a media briefing, Asad Majeed said Islamabad and Washington are workingtogether for peace in Afghanistan along with other nations. “The US alsowanted that the Afghan soil is not used against any other country.”
The comments from the envoy came after Joe Biden took oath as the 46thpresident of the united states after four tumulus years of Donald Trump.
“There is no question of ‘do more’ or ‘do less’ for us now, taking theright steps is the need of the hour,” the envoy said. He noted that the newUS administration would realise Pakistan’s efforts when it comes to knowabout the ground realities.
“Pakistan is not looking for assistance are aid but strong trade andinvestment relationship,” Asad Majeed stressed.
Meanwhile, Biden’s nominated defence secretary General Lloyd J Austin hastermed Pakistan an important partner in peace and maintained that the USlooking to revive military ties with the country.
“If confirmed, I will encourage a regional approach that garners supportfrom neighbours like Pakistan, while also deterring regional actors, fromserving as spoilers to the Afghanistan peace process,” he said during hisconfirmation hearing on Tuesday.
The former US general said he would focus on shared interests includingtraining future Pakistan military leaders through the use of InternationalMilitary Education and Training (IMET) funds.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan was ready to engagewith the new administration, considering it an “opportunity to build along-term, broad-based and multidimensional relationship”.
“Such partnership would require an institutionalized and structuredengagement, based on mutual respect and cooperation,” the Foreign Ministersaid at a webinar on Pakistan’s priorities with the Biden administration,organized by Karachi Council on Foreign Relations earlier this week.
FM Qureshi expressed confidence that Joe Biden as an “old friend toPakistan” would work towards strengthening ties between the two countries.