ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office has strongly condemned a letter sent by 60 U.S. Congress members to President Joe Biden, calling for the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The Foreign Office stated that such interventions in Pakistan’s domestic matters violate diplomatic norms and could negatively impact Pakistan-U.S. relations.
During a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch emphasized that comments on Pakistan’s internal affairs are inconsistent with the principles of mutual respect that have long defined the relationship between the two nations.
“The United States and Pakistan have a long-standing cooperative relationship,” Baloch said. “However, interference in our internal matters through letters like this is unacceptable and undermines diplomatic etiquette.”
In the same briefing, Baloch highlighted Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s participation in the Commonwealth of Nations meeting in Samoa, stressing the importance of collaboration among Commonwealth countries to tackle shared challenges.
Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Baloch condemned Israeli actions as war crimes and called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilians. She also denounced the targeting of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, urging an end to operations against the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Baloch also noted that October 27 is observed as a “black day” in Pakistan, marking the arrival of Indian forces in Kashmir, which remains contested by the Kashmiri people.
Responding to a question about Pakistan’s relations with Russia, she acknowledged that the two countries maintain good contact but did not confirm any upcoming foreign visits.
Regarding Pakistan’s application for BRICS membership, Baloch revealed that while Pakistan was not invited to the recent forum in Kazan, it has applied for membership and hopes for a positive outcome.
She also criticized U.S. sanctions on Pakistani companies, calling them a reflection of double standards, often imposed on minimal suspicion.
In a positive development, Baloch announced that Pakistan has renewed its agreement with India to expand the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib for another five years, facilitating Sikh pilgrimages between the two nations. Additionally, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has written to President Biden, requesting the release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui from U.S. custody.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.