The Pak-US relationship has seen its fair share of vicissitudes. For the past seven decades, the United States has rendered profuse assistance to Pakistan for defense, economy, and healthcare, and has also played a key role in strengthening and improving its academic infrastructure and capacity building.
On September 26, 2022, US Secretary Antony J. Blinken met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of U.S.-Pakistan Relations at the National Museum of American Diplomacy, Washington D.C. The event attendees included business and philanthropic communities, NGOs, exchange alumni, current participants, and the Pakistani diaspora.
On the occasion, Blinken said that America’s trade, commercial and economic policies are all designed to try to deliver for American workers and families, but also at the same time for its partners. The US Secretary further said that Pakistan is currently facing a very difficult time – one-third of the country remains underwater after the historic and catastrophic storms.
“About 33 million people are affected. Families whose homes have been washed away. We are here for Pakistan…both to meet the immediate needs and looking ahead to rebuild.”, said Blinken.
The US has so far given over $56 million in immediate humanitarian assistance and about 17 planes full of supplies like food and materials to build shelters, tents, and tarps. And it has further announced another $10 million in food security assistance.
US and Pakistan have also worked ardently on countering terror threats. “We have a shared stake in Afghanistan’s future after two decades of war. We’ve had our differences; that’s no secret. But we share a common objective: a more stable, peaceful, and free future for all of Afghanistan and those across the broader region. We’ll continue to work together toward that end as well as support the basic human rights of the Afghan people, especially women and girls.”, he asserted.
The two diplomats also spoke on the importance of managing a responsible relationship with India. Blinken also urged Pakistan to engage China on some of the important issues of debt relief and restructuring so that Pakistan can more quickly recover from the floods.
Blinked underscored the need to empower women and girls to spur economic growth and prosperity, and spoke of success stories such as the Pakistan Million Women’s Mentor Initiative, and companies like S&P Global, Deloitte, and Citi, which provided mentorship for more than 10,000 women entrepreneurs over just the past year.
Blinked asserted that the Pak-US people-to-people ties are the most crucial and worth celebrating part of the bilateral relationship. He said that Pak-US Alumni Network (PUAN) is a thriving network of more than 37,000 alumni of cultural exchange programs who are making exceptional contributions to the sciences and business through public service.
Blinked also stated that the Pak-US relationship is resilient and is capable of overcoming challenges that it has had to confront.
The Pakistani FM shared some harrowing statistics of the repercussions followed by floods,
“a third of my country is underwater, affecting 33 million people out of which 16 million are children”, he said. He further said that the irony is Pakistan has contributed 0.8 percent to the global carbon output, but it is amongst the 10 most climate-stressed countries on the planet. “And that’s why we look to you for assistance and support so we can get our people climate justice… It is – now it is the time for a new Green Revolution…we’re incredibly grateful to the U.S. Government for their initial $1 million, then $33 million, then $55 million, and today, after your announcement of the $10 million, we have reached the $60 million mark.”, said Bilawal.
The Pakistani FM conceded that Pakistan and the US have proven throughout history that when they work together, they achieve great things.
Both sides underlined the importance of democracies, upholding core values like respect for freedom of religion, belief, and freedom of expression.
