It has been more than two months when a request of Prime Minister Imran Khan to speak with President of the United States (POTUS) landed at the table of President Joe Biden after his win in Presidential elections, but he preferred speaking with Prime Minister Modi not with Prime Minister Imran Khan and there were many reasons of that preference, according to diplomatic and political sources in Washington D.C.
“Yes, this is true, we have requested for a telephonic conversation of Prime Minister Imran Khan with President Biden at least two months ago but have not heard anything yet, a top Pakistani diplomat at Washington D.C told this scribe.
Former Vice President Joe Biden declared winner of Presidential elections in November 2020 and after that he received a bundle of greeting messages as well as a request for a telephonic conversation including Prime Minister Imran Khan but Mr Biden spoke with Indian Prime Minister Modi on Nov 18 for about 20 minutes not with PM Khan. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden had a very warm conversation during which they exchanged views on the region and role of healthcare particularly vaccines, reported Indian media on that day. The news report further says that Prime Minister Modi and President Biden agreed to further advance the India – US comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and discussed their priorities, including containing the Covid-19 pandemic and Indo Pacific region”.
Having a telephonic conversation with PM Modi just after two weeks of his win in the elections showed how much the Biden Administration keen to continue its partnership with India while even after three months there is still no update that when President Biden is going to speak with PM Khan.
“We have tried all our resources to make this call happen between President Biden and PM Imran Khan, but nothing has worked out and this is actually very alarming for us, the top Pakistani diplomat said. “Pakistani Embassy used all resources and contacts while the so-called Pakistani Caucus in US Congress also miserably failed to make this happen, ” he added.
It is worth mentioning here that after the oath taking ceremony Biden Administration’s top cabinet members also talked to Indian officials both military and civilian. On Jan 27 the new Secretary of Defense Gen Lloyd J. Austin had a telephonic conversation with Indian Defense minister Rajnat Singh and exchanged views of regional and global issues to strengthen strategic partnership. It is just not India which is getting the attention of the Biden Administration but also Afghanistan as new Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani regarding US commitment to an enduring US Afghan partnership. “The Secretary Blinken highlighted robust diplomatic support for the peace process focused on helping the parties to the conflict achieve a durable and just political settlement and comprehensive ceasefire that benefits all Afghans”, State Department said in a press release on Jan 28. It further said that the United States is reviewing the US-Taliban agreement and whether the Taliban are living up to their commitment to cut ties with terrorists’ groups.
One thing is sure that any call between President Biden and Prime Minister Imran Khan will be very demanding and President Biden is expected to repeat the old words “Do more”.
Advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan on National security Moeed Yusuf was also asked about the reason for not having contact between the two leaders and he said in a program at Wilson Center that “we were told that President Biden will speak to PM Khan after the oath taking ceremony”.
Few sources in Embassy of Pakistan confided that Embassy had tried to contact all the leading Pakistani American businessmen, Doctors, think tanks and others to make this phone call happen but bring no results. “I think all these businessmen, doctors and “Think Tanks” got the attention of the Embassy after they posted their pictures with President Biden and his associates on social media, taken during the campaign but these photo shoots are simply good for a good impression not to connect world leaders, the top Diplomat said.
To a question the Pakistani diplomat who requested anonymity came hard on the so-called Pakistani Caucus in US Congress. “To be honest, if you ask me about this, I don’t even know it is a registered Caucus or not and secondly it is a bundle of lies”. “Not a single thing we have achieved from this Caucus and that is the reason you are going to see a big change in near future, he observed.
The same question as to why President Biden avoided talking to Prime Minister Imran Khan was asked to a top security official of Pakistan stationed in the United States, he said, “Biden Administration is taking a review of US-Taliban agreement and after that they surely will talk to PM Khan”. He also confirmed that PM Khan’s request to speak with President Biden is there for the last two months.
A senior journalist in Washington D.C Mr Kausar Javed recalled that when President Biden was serving the Obama administration as Vice President, he was very outspoken for the release of Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor who helped in military operations against Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. “Now when he is the President of United States of America the White House outraged at decision to release Ahmad Saeed Omar by Pakistani Supreme Court in Daniel Pearl murder case, he added.
The White House expressed outrage at the decision by Pakistan’s Supreme Court to free the men convicted in the kidnapping and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. “The United States is outraged by the Supreme Courts’ decision to affirm the acquittal of those responsible for Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Peral’s kidnapping and brutal murder, which shocked the world’s conscience in 2002, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that the United States is prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the United States for his horrific crimes against an American citizen.
Monty Wilkinson, the acting attorney general also issued a statement reiterating that the United States stands ready to take custody of Sheikh to stand trial here on the pending charges against him.
President of Pakistani American Political Action Committee a Washington based “Think Tank” Dr Rao Kamran Ali was of the view that Pakistan must be careful regarding human rights violations particularly concerning minorities. He further said that the Daniel Pearl killer decision by the Supreme Court will set relations back in a huge way.
There is still not any confirmation that when the new Biden Administration is going to engage with Pakistani authorities, but one thing is sure that any call between President Biden and Prime Minister Imran Khan will be very demanding and President Biden is expected to repeat the old words “Do more”.
Jahanzaib Ali is a journalist, author, based in Washington D.C. He has been working in the field for 15 years and now focusing on Foreign Policy.