Newsnomics AJAY ANGELINA Reporter |
Pakistan has decided to skip the “Second Democracy Summit” in Washington being held on 29~30 March
2023 ensuring that Pakistan will engage in friendship with the United States on a bilateral basis to encourage democratic values.
The Foreign ministry spokesperson said, “We are thankful to the United States and the co-host countries for inviting Pakistan to attend the Second Summit for Democracy being held on 29-30 March 2023.”
“We value our friendship with the United States. Under the Biden Administration, this relationship has widened and expanded substantially. We remain committed to further solidifying this relationship for peace, stability,
and prosperity in the region.”
Meanwhile the FO said, “Pakistan has not been part of the Summit process that commenced in 2021 and
required countries to make certain national commitments. The Summit process is now at an advanced stage
and therefore, Pakistan would engage bilaterally with the United States and co-hosts of the Summit to
promote and strengthen democratic principles and values and work towards advancing human rights and the fight against corruption.” showed the statement released by the Ministry of foreign affairs.
In 2021, Pakistan not also attended the Democracy Summit in the United States and responded by thanks to
the Biden’s administration for the invitation with remarks that it looked forward to engaging with the U.S. on
democracy “at an opportune time in the future.”
On which, Lijian Zhao, the Chinese Foreign Office spokesman had hailed Islamabad’s decision to decline an
invitation to the Biden administration’s “Summit for Democracy” called it a “real iron brother” for doing so.
Observers believe that the decision was directly linked with Pakistan and China’s strategic ties — an all-
weather friend — not invited to the meet, besides Turkey. Whether India and Taiwan have been invited to
participate.
As we all know that Pakistan and China are close partners, and Pakistan is the flagship venue for Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative — the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor promises $62 billion worth of Chinese economic
investments in Pakistan. The two countries also have a long-standing military and strategic partnership that
dates back to the 1960 s.
Another reason for not attending the 2021 summit was cold shoulder given to the Pakistan’s former Prime
Minister Imran Khan by Joe Biden administration.
Meanwhile Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokesperson of foreign affairs pointed out some harsh remarks by
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Bengaluru against Pakistan and strictly said “These kinds of
remarks reflect Indian leaders’ unhealthy obsession with Pakistan. India should very conveniently overlook the developments in their own country where the social fabric is being ripped apart by the rise of an extremist
Hindutva ideology, instead of picking faults with Pakistan.”
These unwarranted remarks serve no purpose but put additional strain on bilateral relations and further
vitiate the prospects for peace in South Asia,” she said.
However, Pakistan’s decision of not attending the” Second Democracy Summit” in the US comes at a time
when Pakistan is in the mid of severe economic crisis and is eagerly looking for a bailout from International
Monetary Fund (IMF), where many believe that the US can play a key role.
