Daily Times

Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood on Saturday while highlighting Pakistan’s pivot to geo-economics emphasized that Pakistan welcomed enhanced bilateral trade and greater investments from the United States. The foreign secretary, in a meeting with a four-member delegation of the US Senate here, hoped that the US companies would reap dividends from Pakistan’s market.

The delegation included Senators Angus King, Richard Burr, John Cornyn, and Benjamin Sasse. Welcoming the Senate delegation to Pakistan, the foreign secretary underscored that Pakistan valued its long-standing relationship with the US and wanted to further deepen bilateral ties based on shared interests. He emphasized that deeper engagement between the two countries was pivotal for peace, security, and development in the region.

The foreign secretary briefed the senators on the serious humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and underscored that the international community must help the Afghan people avert the crisis through immediate support and financial assistance.

In this regard, he stressed the importance of the release of Afghanistan’s frozen financial resources.

The foreign secretary also apprised the visiting delegation of Pakistan’s efforts to mobilize international support through multiple regional and international mechanisms. In this context, he also mentioned the Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers being hosted in Islamabad.

He also briefed the delegation about unabated gross human rights violations against the Kashmiris in IIOJK and underscored that the United States Congress must play its due role in this regard. The senators, acknowledging the importance of long-standing Pakistan-US ties, affirmed the desire to further strengthen the bilateral relationship in its myriad dimensions.

The senators appreciated Pakistan’s role in the evacuation of US nationals and others post-15 August 2021 and stressed the importance of closer cooperation to support the objectives of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

All four senators are members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, while Senator King is also a member of the Senate Armed Services committee.