Pakistan has expressed its willingness to engage with the new US administration to strengthen bilateral relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.
“We are committed to a strong and solid relationship with the United States, based on the principle of non-interference in internal affairs,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said during his press briefing weekly in Islamabad.
Shafqat Ali welcomed the swearing-in of President Donald Trump and highlighted the importance of US-Pakistan relations, which span multiple areas. “We look forward to continuing the positive trajectory of these relations,” he added.
The spokesperson also highlighted Pakistan’s concerns over the presence of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sanctuaries in Afghanistan. “We continue to press Afghan authorities to address these concerns so that bilateral relations can reach their full potential,” Khan said.
On the Kashmir conflict, Khan reiterated Pakistan’s clear position, citing global awareness of the “campaign of oppression unleashed in India’s illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.” He assured that Pakistan would support any effort to resolve the dispute.
On the Indus Water Treaty, Shafqat Ali said Pakistan remained committed to its full implementation, including the dispute resolution mechanism. He expressed hope that India will also implement the treaty in good faith and in its entirety.
In response to a question, Shafqat Ali Khan mentioned an agreement with the United States to resettle Afghan refugees in the United States by September this year. “This arrangement is in place until now,” he said.
