Pakistan, US pledge to keep high-level bilateral contacts

WASHINGTON    –  Pakistan and United States held wide rang­ing talks at ministeri­al level to review the bilateral relations and agreed to enhance co­operation in different fields and maintain high level contacts between the two countries.

Foreign Minister Bila­wal Bhutto Zardari and US Secretary of State Antony Blinkin held the talks at the State Depart­ment in Washington yester­day. Bilawal apprised his US counterpart about the latest situation in IIOJK and attempts by Indian govern­ment to make demograph­ic changes in the occupied valley. Regional security situation including Afghan­istan also came under dis­cussion and both the sides agreed emerging threats of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan need to be tackled timely with joint counter-terrorism cooper­ation. The foreign minister apprised his US counter­part about the massive dev­astation caused by floods in Pakistan. The foreign min­ister thanked the US Gov­ernment for the solidar­ity it expressed with the flood victims by assistance of $55 million and under­scored that the recent visits of the US Congressional del­egations and the members of Biden Administration to Pakistan were a manifes­tation of the empathy that the United States had for the flood victims and the people of Pakistan. Bilaw­al Bhutto stressed that even though Pakistan was re­sponsible for less than 1 per cent of global emissions it was bearing the brunt of cli­mate crisis. He underscored that there was enormous potential for deepening and widening the Pak-US bilat­eral ties, particularly in the areas of trade and invest­ment and in reinforcing people-to-people relations – based on mutual trust and mutual respect. The FM highlighted the deteriorat­ing situation of human rights in India Occupied Kashmir and, in particular, how it was affecting the plight of Kash­miris there and emphasized the centrality of Kashmir dispute resolution for the re­gional peace and stability.US Secretary Blinkin Secretary Blinkin reaffirmed that the US would widen its engage­ment with Pakistan in vari­ous areas including climate change, health, energy, and trade and investment. He offered condolences over the loss of precious lives in Pakistan due to the dev­astating floods. He main­tained that the US would support Pakistan in the re­construction and rehabilita­tion process. Both the sides also discussed the regional situation and emphasized the need for peace, devel­opment, and stability in Af­ghanistan.