Pakistan's joy over the US envoy Donald Blome's visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was short-lived as within days the ambassador's boss President Joe Biden called Pakistan "one of the most dangerous nations in the world" and Blome was summoned to the foreign office in Islamabad to be handed a 'demarche' in protest against the American President's statement.
Pakistan viewed the US ambassador's recent visit to PoK as a win for its Kashmir position. But US President's candid remark on Pakistan at a Democratic congressional campaign committee reception gave a clearer picture of the bilateral ties.
Biden termed Pakistan "one of the most dangerous nations in the world" as the country has "nuclear weapons without any cohesion" according to his remarks released by the White House. He made this sharp restatement while talking about US foreign policy in the context of China and Russia.
Forced to give a retort to Biden's remarks, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that an official demarche will be issued against the US envoy. "We will call their ambassador and issue a demarche, but I don't think this was an official function [...] it wasn't an address to the parliament or an interview," Bilawal was quoted saying by Dawn.
The Pakistan foreign minister said that his country's nuclear assets "meet each and every international standard in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In a series of tweets, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif also jumped in for Pak's defence, saying that his country's nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country.
"Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is perfectly capable of safeguarding its national interest whilst respecting international law and practices. Our nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country. Like all independent states," Sharif said.
Raising question on the foreign policy of the US, the PML-N supremo said, "I have 2 Qs on this: 1. On what info has @POTUS reached this unwarranted conclusion on our nuclear capability when, having been PM, I know we have one of the most secure nuclear command & control systems? 2. Unlike the US which has been involved in wars."
Recently, when a US diplomat undertook a visit to PoK, India also conveyed its objections to the Biden administration.
During a weekly presser, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "Our objections to the visit and meetings in PoK by the US envoy have been conveyed to the US side."
Blome's visit to the PoK was the second high-profile visit by a US diplomat to the region after the US Congresswomen Ilhan Omar visited PoK this year.
India in 1994 had passed a resolution saying PoK is part of India and Pakistan must vacate and end its illegal occupation. A few months ago, Defence minister Rajnath Singh said "Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir is a part of Indian territory and will continue to be so."
( With inputs from ANI )
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