ISLAMABAD: Pakistan ruled out the possibility of sacrificing its relationship with China for the sake of improved relations with the United States, the Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Thursday, stressing that “Pakistan doesn’t believe in zero-sum relationships”.
“For us, relations with the United States and relations with China are both important,” Foreign Office spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at a weekly press briefing in Islamabad. “We do not believe in situations where relationship with one country can be sacrificed on the altar of relations with another.”
Describing China as an all-weather strategic cooperative partner of Pakistan, Ms Baloch said Pakistan would continue to strengthen this relationship. At the same time, Pakistan values its close relationship with the United States and believes in constructive engagement.
“We would like to develop this relationship on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs,” she said.
Ms Baloch’s statement came after she was asked to comment on the $101 million assistance that the Biden administration sought from US Congress for Pakistan a day ago and remarks by US diplomat Donald Lu that “China is the past in terms of investment, and we are the future”. The questioner also sought to know if the aid was being given with a pre-condition that China’s influence would be reduced in Pakistan.
Commenting on the demand by over a dozen UK MPs for the release of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, Ms Baloch said Pakistan has taken note of the discussions at an event that took place in London.
“As far as we understand, it was a private event held in a side room of the House of Lords, and the event was organised by a political party that had invited some members of the parliament,” she said. “It is important that members of legislative bodies contribute to promoting positive dynamics in bilateral relations and contribute to developing mutual understanding and mutual respect between the two countries.”
When asked to comment on the US ambassador’s declared plan to meet Imran Khan and asked if Pakistan would allow any diplomat to meet the former prime minister in jail, Ms Baloch said she had not seen the ambassador’s statement.
“We have, however, commented on this particular aspect in the past, and we have underlined that any such requests will be determined on the basis of Pakistani laws and the decisions of the Pakistani courts,” she said.