ISLAMABAD: United States President Joe Biden has said his country’s relations with Pakistan are important for regional security and stability, according to an official statement released by Pakistan’s embassy in Washington on Thursday, expressing his appreciation for the counterterrorism cooperation between the two states.
The US and Pakistan have shared a complex history of bilateral relations, dating back to the Cold War when they first established ties. Over the decades, the relationship has seen fluctuations, marked by periods of both cooperation and tension.
The two countries joined forces during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1970s, but their relations were later tested by the US-led war in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Despite these challenges, the two nations have continued collaborating on regional security and counterterrorism since the withdrawal of US-led international forces in Afghanistan in August 2021.
The US president issued the statement about the relations between both countries as Pakistan’s new envoy to Washington, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, presented his Letter of Credence to him at Blair House.
“Our countries stand united in the face of significant challenges posed by climate change, regional security threats, and global health security,” Biden was quoted as saying by the statement shared by the Pakistani diplomatic mission. “We should continue highlighting common interests in security, trade and investment, economic growth, the US-Pakistan ‘Green Alliance’ framework, and prosperity.”
“The relationship between our two countries remains important for regional stability and security,” he continued. “We appreciate US-Pakistan cooperation on countering terrorist threats. We share a desire to build upon our bilateral relationship and strengthen US-Pakistan ties moving forward.”
He also described the arrival of the new Pakistani ambassador to his country significant on many levels.
“It signifies more than 75 years of friendship between our nations and our enduring commitment to economic engagement, security cooperation, people-to-people ties, and cultural exchange,” he maintained, adding the partnership between the two nations was critical to ensuring the security of their people and people around the world.
“The United States will continue to stand with Pakistan to tackle the most pressing global and regional challenges of our time,” he added.
Earlier, Ambassador Sheikh conveyed greetings to Biden from the Pakistani leadership and recalled US assistance to his country, especially during the nascent phase of Pakistan’s statehood.
“Pakistan-US economic partnership is the core of our engagement, and the United States continues to be the largest destination for Pakistani exports,” he said.
Highlighting the significant trade potential between the two countries, he noted that Pakistan was ready to enhance its trade with the US and absorb American investments in alternative energy, green technology, industry, digital platforms, higher education and other areas of mutual benefit.
Ambassador Sheikh emphasized the important role being played by Pakistan’s large and dynamic diaspora community in the US, describing them as a bridge between the two countries.
He also highlighted the need for structured, broad-based, and result-oriented periodic dialogues in both security and non-security realms to give fresh impetus to the relationship and promote mutual interests.
The new Pakistani envoy replace Ambassador Sardar Masood Khan who was appointed by his country in 2022.
Biden highlights US-Pakistan ties as key to regional security, praises counterterrorism collaboration
https://arab.news/wywvv
Biden highlights US-Pakistan ties as key to regional security, praises counterterrorism collaboration
- The US president welcomes the new Pakistani ambassador to his country at a ceremony in Blair House
- He says US will stand with Pakistan to ‘tackle the pressing global and regional challenges of our time’
Azad Kashmir President Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry dies at 71
- Pakistan prime minister praises Chaudhry’s advocacy for the Kashmir cause
- AJK Presidential Office says he died in Islamabad after a prolonged illness
ISLAMABAD: Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, the president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and a veteran Kashmiri politician, died in Islamabad on Saturday after a prolonged illness, according to an official statement from the AJK Presidential Office. He was 71.
His funeral prayers will be held on Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium, the statement said.
Chaudhry, who served multiple times as prime minister and opposition leader in AJK before becoming president in 2021, was one of the region’s most prominent political figures and a long-time advocate of the Kashmir cause at international forums.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over Chaudhry’s death in a statement.
“Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry was a farsighted political leader who spent his entire life in the service of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir,” Sharif said in a statement issued by his office.
Born on August 9, 1955, in Chichian, Mirpur, Chaudhry received his early education in his native village, completed his matriculation from Cantonment Public School Rawalpindi and graduated from Gordon College Rawalpindi before traveling to Britain, where he earned a law degree from Lincoln’s Inn. He returned to Pakistan in 1983 and entered active politics.
Over his political career, Chaudhry was elected nine times from his Mirpur constituency and held several senior positions, including prime minister of AJK in 1996 and opposition leader in the legislative assembly in 2001. He also led multiple political parties in AJK, including the Muslim Conference, the Peoples Party AJK chapter and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf AJK chapter.
The AJK Presidential Office said Chaudhry played a central role in raising the Kashmir issue globally, addressing international institutions, foreign governments and parliaments, and leading protests and demonstrations in cities including London, New York, Brussels and Berlin. It said he was the only AJK leader to have been permitted to visit Indian-administered Kashmir, where he addressed a public gathering at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk and met senior Kashmiri leaders.
Sharif said Chaudhry “raised a strong voice against Indian oppression of the Kashmiri people and in support of the Kashmir cause.”
“His service to the Kashmiri people and his struggle for the Kashmir cause will always be remembered in history,” he added.
