ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday rejected reports he had attended an event in Washington this week where he met people aligned with a political movement that are opposed to the Chinese state, describing the reports as “propaganda.”
News reports this week stated Naqvi attended an event in Washington by the New Federal State of China (NFSC), a political movement opposed to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), during his ongoing trip to the US.
China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan that has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure project.
“This is absolute propaganda, neither have I attended any anti-Chinese state function nor did I go there,” he said.
"I attended a function by Gunster [Strategies] which they tried to link it as an anti-China event," the minister added, referring to the international public relations firm, Gunster Strategies.
The Pakistani interior minister said the main purpose of his visit to the US was to formulate a comprehensive plan with American politicians to combat “terrorism.”
“See the main purpose of my visit this time [to the US] was to make a comprehensive plan against terrorism with the politicians here,” Naqvi said.
“The terrorism that we are suffering is not just our fight, it is everyone’s fight,” he added.
The interior minister said that though 2023 and 2024 were “bad years” for Pakistan as far as militancy was concerned, those who took up arms against the state would be defeated.
Pakistan has faced a surge in militant attacks in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan since November 2022, ever since its truce with the Pakistani Taliban broke down. Islamabad blames Afghan rulers for providing sanctuaries to militants to launch attacks against Pakistan, charges the Taliban government vehemently denies.
Islamabad and Washington have shared a complicated history when it comes to bilateral ties. Both countries shared close defense and security cooperation in the past, particularly during the Cold War after the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and post-September 11, 2001 attacks.
However, more recently, US officials criticized Pakistan for not sufficiently supporting their military efforts against the Taliban following the 9/11 attacks. Islamabad denies sheltering Taliban fighters and helping them regain control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
