Ambassador Aizaz Chauhdry with a US Student Ambassador to Pakistan, Photo: Pakistan Embassy in Washington
Islamabad’s new ambassador to the United States has said he will focus on winning more friends for Pakistan in the American polity in order to boost bilateral relationship.
After assuming charge of one of the most important diplomatic assignments, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry told journalists that he would seek support of the Pakistani-American community to cement the relationship.
He said Pakistan and the United States have a history of close multifaceted relationship and looks forward to building on the telephonic call between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The career diplomat also pledged to foster a clearer understanding of Islamabad’s national security imperatives and concerns in South Asia so that Islamabad’s views find a greater audience in Washington vis-a-vis both Afghanistan and India.
Pakistan wants to have good relations with the United States, China and Russia, he said.
Ambassador Aizaz Chaudhry speaks to the Press
Photo: Views and News
While Chaudhry cited convergence of interests between Pakistan and the United States on several areas, he also acknowledged that like any other two countries, Islamabad and Washington do not see eye-to-eye on all issues. In an interview, he also emphasized that the United States and Pakistan should collaborate in defeating the ISIS terror threat in the region.
On Afghanistan, he said, Pakistan wants stability in the neighboring country “because instability in Afghanistan hurts Pakistan the most.
“We are ready to work with the United States and other countries toward that objective,” Chaudhry said.
He also “some kind of breakthrough” on reducing Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions after Pakistani foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz’s meeting with Afghan National Security Adviser in London.
The meeting between Pakistani and Afghan officials took place as border-crossings remained close for weeks.
Aizaz Chaudhry said all recent terror attakcs in Pakistan were traced back to Pakistan, and Pakistan wants to boost border-management so that only people with genuine documents, and not terrorists, are able to move across.
“The use of Afghan soil by hostile forces is a matter of great concern for us.”
Pakistan, the ambassador said, is for a political solution to the Afghan conflict.
Chaudhry said Pakistan’s critics need to see the new ground reality in the country with a visible improved security fueling economic growth.
“What kind of safe havens are you talking about? We have cleared the tribal areas. We are now working on reforms in the tribal areas and the temporarily displaced people are returning,” he said.
“Afghanistan has to take action on its side,” he said.
The ambassador said the U.S. military leaders and lawmakers have seen first hand the improvement Pakistan has brought about in the tribal areas.
On Friday, the ambassador also met with Cody Swartzentruber, Student Ambassador to Pakistan currently working on the project titled “Exploring the World” along with his class fellows.
Aizaz Chaudhry noted that people-to-people contacts would help the two countries in a big way, and promote mutual understanding.
