Tag: Donald Blome

  • No more Amreeki sazish? Fawad Chaudhry meets Donald Blome

    No more Amreeki sazish? Fawad Chaudhry meets Donald Blome

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry has confirmed on Twitter that he met with United States (US) Ambassador Donald Blome and other senior American officials.

    Taking to Twitter, Chaudhry wrote, “Had a good meeting with US ambassador and senior officials. The worsening HR [human rights] situation in Pakistan was a particular focus of discussion.”

    Chaudhry said, “The political situation and PTI position on various issues came under discussion. Such meetings are part of mutual desire to have relationship based on equality and well being of people.”

    Last week, PTI Chairman Imran Khan yet again came up with another narrative regarding his version of “regime change”. The former Prime Minister said that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa told United States (US) that Khan is anti-America, which resulted in his ouster.

    In an interview with Voice of America, Khan said, “As things unfolded, it wasn’t the US who told Pakistan, it was unfortunately, from what evidences have now come out, it was General Bajwa who actually somehow managed to tell the Americans that I was anti-America and so it was not imported from there actually it was exported from here to there.”

  • ‘First trip to Azad Jammu and Kashmir’, US ambassador under fire by Indians for tweet

    United States (US) Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome, on his visit to Quaid-e-Azam Memorial Dak Bungalow, tweeted on Sunday, “The Bungalow symbolises the cultural and historical richness of Pakistan and was famously visited by Jinnah in 1944. I’m honoured to visit during my first trip to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).”

    Blome—who is currently in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) for his first visit—mentioned Pakistan’s part of Kashmir as “Azad”.

    It is pertinent to mention that Washington officially still considers both Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.

    Indians seem to have taken offence with the tweet, lashing out at the US official. One user called the US a “backstabber” while the other was of the view that Americans should never be trusted no matter what.

    https://twitter.com/gyanendrra/status/1576647000728428544?s=20&t=GBwS8xjjPGIV5m6bpnWNdQ

    https://twitter.com/NCC1701_x/status/1576612210142416896?s=20&t=GBwS8xjjPGIV5m6bpnWNdQ
    https://twitter.com/NCC1701_x/status/1576612210142416896?s=20&t=GBwS8xjjPGIV5m6bpnWNdQ

    US and Pakistan relations seem to be warming up. Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met US President Joe Biden at his reception for world leaders participating in the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

    Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is scheduled to meet with senior Biden administration officials this week during an official visit to the US.

  • ‘Absolutely no truth,’ PTI denies Imran Khan had a video call with US envoy

    ‘Absolutely no truth,’ PTI denies Imran Khan had a video call with US envoy

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan allegedly contacted United States (US) Ambassador Donald Blome via a video call. The alleged video call took place on August 4 (Thursday) around 1:45 pm to 2:15 pm, reports Muhammad Saleh Zaafir for The News.

    However, Shireen Mazari denied these reports and said this is “part of vilification campaign” planned against Imran Khan.

    During the alleged conversation between the US envoy and PTI chief, Khan expressed reservations about the US policy against his then-government in the Centre, reports Khalid Azim Chaudhry for Samaa News. In response, the ambassador said that he has been in the office for only two months. However, he assured Khan that he would convey the message to the Biden administration.

    The video call allegedly took place after the meeting between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Mahmood Khan and Donald Blome last week in Peshawar. Blome visited the provincial capital to hand over ambulances to the government. Mahmood Khan reportedly arranged a call between his party chief and the US official.

    Absolutely no truth: Shireen Mazari

    Former federal minister and PTI leader Shireen Mazari denied that there has been any contact between Khan and Blome.

    “There is absolutely no truth in Imran Khan having had any conversation on cell/video link with US envoy Blome. It is part of a vilification campaign planned against IK by an Imported govt terrified of IK politically. We expect more such fake claims and evidence will follow,” tweeted Shireen Mazari.

    “We do not comment on what transpires during private diplomatic meetings like the one between Ambassador Blome and the KP chief minister,” said US Embassy spokesman Nick Hersh.

    Khan blamed the US for his ouster and accused the Biden administration for the success of the vote of no-confidence against him.

  • US agrees to help Pakistan negotiate a deal with IMF

    US agrees to help Pakistan negotiate a deal with IMF

    The United States (US) has agreed to help Pakistan negotiate a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    According to media reports, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan met Assistant US Trade Representative (USTR) for South and Central Asia Christopher Wilson to discuss expanding trade relations between the two countries and encouraging US investments in Pakistan.

    Pakistan has not yet received the first draft of a memorandum of financial and economic policies (MEFP) from the IMF as targeted earlier because certain matters remained unsettled. “We are working very closely with the IMF and will soon reach some conclusion,” a top finance ministry official told Dawn.

    Pak govt asks US to help with IMF deal

    Last week, Pakistan asked for the support of the US for the revival of the IMF programme, reports Shahbaz Rana for The Express Tribune.

    The Shehbaz-led government’s economic team met with US Ambassador Donald Blome and sought Washington’s support and acknowledgement of the actions taken.

    According to the news outlet, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and Minister of State for Finance Dr Aisha Pasha met with the US envoy. 

    The government is making all-out efforts to revive the programme and has taken many unpopular steps, but still remains short of the IMF’s expectations.

    The IMF not only wants a reversal of the cut in the income tax rates for the salaried class but is seeking to pass on an additional burden of Rs125 billion on the salaried people. The government has now worked out a new proposal that entails reversing Rs47 billion tax relief and then passing on an additional burden of Rs18 billion to the salaried class, reports Shahbaz Rana.

    The Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led- government had committed to increasing the taxes on the salaried class with effect from July and also agreed to share the draft of the personal income tax reforms with the IMF by end of February 2022. However, PTI did not fulfil its commitments.

    Minister of State for Finance Dr Aisha Pasha said that there was now more clarity to the IMF on the new budget, hoping to sign a deal very soon.

    On Wednesday, the federal government increased the price of all petroleum products, including Rs24 per litre for petrol and Rs59.16 per litre for high-speed diesel (HSD). In less than a month, this is the third hike.

    Miftah Ismail criticised the previous PTI government for reaching an erroneous agreement with the IMF, which tied the incumbent’s hands and forced it to raise oil prices to get the economy back on track.