WASHINGTON: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has assured the US of Pak­is­tan’s commitment to stabilise the economy and implement structural reforms to attract investment.

In a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, Mr Bhutto-Zardari thanked the US for its support in reaching the Standby Arrangement with the International Monetary Fund.

The minister said the arrangement would “provide impetus to Pakistan’s economic and development imperatives and that Pakistan was committed to bringing structural reforms in its economy to make it more competitive and attractive for business and foreign investment,” according to a Foreign Office statement.

“The Foreign Minister underlined the priority attached to economic and trade relations and Pakistan’s particular interest in advancing cooperation on climate change and green energy.”

Pakistani FM thanks Washington for support with IMF deal; duo discuss Afghanistan, Black Sea grain deal

They agreed to remain engaged “for promoting peace, security and development in the region”.

“They also discussed the regional security situation, including the threat from terrorism, and reaffirmed their desire to continue close cooperation for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan,” the FO added.

The foreign minister also had a discussion on the Black Sea Grain Initiative with Mr Blinken.

He stressed the need for efforts to revive the deal at the earliest as developing countries face the challenge of food security and inflation.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said Pakistan valued its “longstanding and broad-based relationship” with the US and expressed the desire to further deepen it.

The FO said the two foreign ministers noted the “positive momentum” in Pakistan-US relations and agreed to remain “constructively engaged to promote peace, security and development”.

During the past year, the two nations held six rounds of dialogues, and multiplied exchange of high-level visits which have “diversified and solidified the relationship,” Mr Bhutto-Zardari said in what was his fourth telephone call with Secretary Blinken since assuming office in April 2022.

According to FO, both leaders expressed satisfaction at the “current positive momentum” in bilateral ties.

Mr Blinken stressed that democratic principles and respect for the rule of law were central to the US-Pakistan relationship and these values would continue to guide this partnership forward, the FO said.

A statement for the US State Department said Mr Blinken assured that the US “will continue to engage with Pakistan through technical and development initiatives and through our robust trade and investment ties.”

“He also welcomed the International Monetary Fund’s approval of a program to support Pakistan and encouraged continued reforms to promote economic recovery and prosperity,” said State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Mr Blinked acknowledged Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war against terrorism and affirmed the US commitment to continued partnership on counterterrorism.

In a tweet after the telephone conversation, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said constructive engagement between the two countries was “key to promoting peace, security and development in the region”.

His counterpart said the discussion focused on US “support for Pakistan’s economic recovery and our shared regional concerns, including Afghanistan.”

“The United States supports a productive, democratic, and prosperous partnership with Pakistan,” Mr Blinken tweeted.

Conversation with OIC secretary general

The foreign minister also spoke with OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha over the telephone on Tuesday and condemned the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and other European countries.

He said these “despicable acts” were in clear violation of international laws, according to a statement by the FO.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari also briefed the OIC secretary-general on the resolution adopted by the parliament’s joint sitting on July 6 and the government’s initiative to observe ‘Youm-i-Taqaddus Quran’ across Pakistan on July 7.

The foreign minister appreciated the OIC’s urgency in responding to these reprehensible acts and commended the body for holding an extraordinary meeting of its executive committee over the issue.

The OIC secretary general “commended Pakistan’s efforts to combat and counter Islamophobia” and appreciated its “leading role” in this regard at the UN.

A communique issued after the OIC’s special meeting in July stated that these actions were against the spirit of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and could not be justified under the pretext of freedom of expression or opinion.

On Sunday, the OIC suspended the membership of Sweden’s special to the OIC, in line with the recommendations of the executive committee’s meeting.

Mr Taha, the secretary-general, has conveyed the decision in a letter addressed to Sweden’s foreign minister, the OIC said in a statement.

Iftikhar A. Khan in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2023