The present government has chosen to call US Ambassador Donald Blome for an official delegation to discuss US President Joe Biden’s comments regarding Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, according to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who made the announcement on Saturday.
According to Biden, Pakistan may be “one of the most dangerous countries in the world,” as it possesses “nuclear weapons without any coherence,” during a Democratic congressional campaign committee reception on Thursday.
Biden was cited as stating the following in a transcript of the speech that was posted on the White House website: “… And what I think is perhaps one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion.”
In a press conference at the Bilawal House in Karachi today, the foreign minister said that Pakistan’s nuclear assets “meet each and every international standard in accordance with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) as far as security and safety is concerned”.
“Our neighbor India, who just recently mistakenly fired a missile into Pakistani territory, should be contacted if there are any concerns about nuclear safety, according to the statement.
He noted that this “raises legitimate and severe worries about the safety of nuclear-capable countries” in addition to being irresponsible and unsafe.
“I am taken aback by President Biden’s comments […] This, in my opinion, is precisely the kind of misunderstanding that is produced by detachment.
According to Bilawal, Pakistan has begun a “engagement journey” and recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations with the US.
I believe that we have just begun our journey of engagement and we will have many more opportunities to engage with the US and address any concerns and misconceptions they might have with regard to this particular question. If this was such a concern, I imagine it would have been raised in that meeting with me.
He added that the US should be given the chance to explain its stance when we called the ambassador for a demarche.
“I don’t think it has a bad effect on Pakistan’s relations with the US. We’ll keep up the productive pattern of interactions we’ve had so far “Bilawal Said.
He continued by asserting that Pakistan was unrelated to Biden’s statement. I don’t believe this was an official occasion; it wasn’t an address to the parliament or an interview. We will call their ambassador and deliver a demarche.
He said, “It was a fundraiser, it was an unconventional conversation, therefore it should be [looked at] in this manner, and I think we will look at this comment in this manner.”
Bilawal added that the country should refrain from “falling into conspiracy theories” at the same time.
He clarified that had the government felt any pressure, it would have been brought before the public. “But there is no such issue, we have varying stances on different issues, but when you’re responsible and mature states, you engage.”
There are a lot of opportunities for Pakistan to positively engage with the rest of the world, he added.
