Pakistan engaged with US over energy trade: Foreign Office

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Friday that Pakistan had relayed the United States (US) about its energy requirements as both the countries were in contact over the matter.

In her weekly press briefing, Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said they were aware of the Washington’s comments regarding Pak-Iran talks on energy trade after President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Pakistan.

Earlier this week, a State Department spokesperson had warned Islamabad regarding “potential risk of sanctions”.“We advise anyone considering business deals with Iran to be aware of the potential risk of sanctions,” the spokesperson had said. Baloch, on the other hand, maintained that cooperation for trade on preferential basis was present between Pakistan and Iran to fulfil the former’s crucial necessities.

She said during President’s Raisi’s visit, the matter of Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline was discussed and it was also reflected in the joint statement later. Both countries cogitated about energy and electricity trade, she added.

Baloch also said talks with Iran on free trade agreement (FTA) were under way. “We think that controlling export has become political,” she said.The spokesperson said Pakistan discussed about the trade route between Gwadar and Chabahar ports with the Iranian president, adding bilateral relations between the two nations were strong.

On Israel’s atrocities in Palestine, Baloch said Pakistan condemned Israel’s barbarism in Palestine and sought international investigation of Palestinians’ ethnic cleansing by the apartheid state. She said Pakistan and Iran had the same stance on the issue of Gaza and Kashmir.

She rubbished the “2023 Country Report on Human Rights Practices” issued by the US State Department, saying a suitable procedure was not adopted in preparation of the report.

During the presser, Ms Baloch also informed journalists that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from April 28 to 29.

According to the spokesperson, the Prime Minister will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to participate in the high-level forum where they will present Pakistan’s priorities specifically in global health architecture, inclusive growth, revitalising regional collaboration and the need for striking a balance between promoting growth and energy consumption.

On the margins of the main event, both the premier and Dar will also hold bilateral meetings with world leaders, heads of international organisations and other leading personalities participating in the event.

The Prime Minister will also visit Gambia to attend the 15th session of the Islamic Summit Conference under the slogan “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development,” on May 4-5 in Banjul, the capital city of Gambia.

The spokesperson said PM Shehbaz would express Pakistan’s grave concern on genocide in Gaza, advocate for their right to self-determination, the imperative of solidarity, besides deliberating on Islamophobia, terrorism, and the challenges faced by the world, particularly the Muslim world.

The OIC Summit will be preceded by the preparatory meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers on May 2-3 to be attended by Foreign Minister Dar, who will also hold bilateral meetings.

Ms Baloch further said Pakistan was witnessing a surge in provocative statements from the Indian leaders asserting unwarranted claims on the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “Pakistan rejects the Indian claims as fueled by hyper-nationalism with inflammation rhetoric, such claims pose threats to regional peace and stability.”

Ms Baloch urged the Indian politicians to cease the practice of dragging Pakistan into their internal discourse aimed at gaining electoral motives.

She said despite Indian rhetoric and assertions, IIOJK remained an internationally recognised disputed territory as the UN Security Council’s resolutions clearly outlined that final status would be determined by the will of the Kashmiri people through a free plebiscite.To a question, the spokesperson said currently, there was no back-channel diplomacy going on between Pakistan and India to normalise bilateral trade.