Tag: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

  • Finance Minister Dar assures no global sanctions for Russian oil purchase

    Finance Minister Dar assures no global sanctions for Russian oil purchase

    Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Senator Ishaq Dar, has provided reassurances that Pakistan will not be subjected to global sanctions for its purchase of Russian oil. Dar made these remarks during a briefing to the Senate’s Standing Committee on Finance, highlighting that both India and China continue to purchase crude oil from Russia despite existing global sanctions.

    Dar emphasised that significant progress had been made in November of the previous year regarding the procurement of Russian oil, and the government had diligently completed all necessary preparations before proceeding with the purchase. He further explained that Pakistan adhered to an approved procedure established by a committee comprising G7 countries for oil production from Russia.

    Dar acknowledged the instrumental role played by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in consulting and obtaining approval from the G7 countries prior to the procurement of Russian oil.

    In terms of payment, the finance minister disclosed that the Chinese currency Yuan would be used for settling the payment for the Russian crude oil. He expressed Russia’s satisfaction with this arrangement, noting that it would not only reduce shipping costs but also lead to a decline in crude oil prices.

    When questioned about border trade with Iran, Dar confirmed that the government intended to enhance such trade but clarified that petroleum products were not included in these border trade activities.

    On Sunday, Pakistan successfully unloaded over 45,000 metric tons of oil from a Russian vessel that arrived at the Karachi port. Another Russian oil carrier is expected to reach the port of Karachi in the coming week.

    It is worth mentioning that earlier this week, the first ship carrying Russian oil had already docked at the Karachi port.

    During a press briefing on June 15, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller highlighted that every country has the right to make decisions based on its energy requirements. He further acknowledged that Russian oil was being sold at significantly lower prices compared to global market rates.

    Miller attributed this decrease in price to the limitations imposed by the US and its allies, resulting in Russia losing an estimated $100 billion in revenue that could have been used in the Ukraine conflict. Miller clarified that the US had not imposed any restrictions on Russian oil exports.

  • Video: Uzbek singer sings Pakistani Mili Naghma

    Video: Uzbek singer sings Pakistani Mili Naghma

    An Uzbek singer sang Pakistani Mili Naghma during an official lunch at the Shanghai Coopera­tion Org­anisation’s (SCO) Council of For­eign Ministers’ meeting. The video was shared by the Foreign Office of Pakistan.

    “Warm hospitality on display by the hosts, during the recently concluded SCO Council of Foreign Minister,” tweeted Pakistan’s Foreign Office.

    The video was re-shared by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on his Instagram account.

    Bilawal Bhutto Zardari led Pakistan’s delegation to the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in Tashkent from July 28-29, 2022. During his stay, he held various interactions with his counterparts.

  • Bilawal Bhutto avoids handshake with Indian foreign minister

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met and held meetings with his counterparts from Afghanistan, China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan at the Shanghai Coopera­tion Org­anisation’s (SCO) Council of For­eign Ministers’ meeting. However, it has been reported that Bilawal and Indian FM Dr S. Jaishankar avoided handshake and the two ministers sat away from each other.

    Bilawal attended the SCO meeting (July 28th to 29th) in Tashkent and this is where both he and Jaishankar came together since the Pakistani foreign minister took charge.

    It is pertinent to mention that the SCO meeting is being held in connection with the preparations for the SCO Heads of State meeting scheduled to be held in September.

    On the international platform, Bilawal said that there are no plans of any meetings between Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers (PM) in September, adding that “both India and Pakistan are part of the SCO and the two countries are only engaged in the context of the broad-based activities of the organisation”.

    The foreign minister said: “India is our neighbouring country. While one can decide on a lot of things, one cannot choose its neighbours, therefore, we should get used to living with them.”

    Bilawal recalled that after 2019, constructive dialogue with India became difficult, while statements based on Islamophobia by Indian officials are further creating hurdles in dialogue.

    ‘What is our fault if Khan failed to boost ties with US?’

    Reacting to Imran Khan’s criticism that said Pakistan and the United States (US) relation has weakened during the tenure of the coalition government, the foreign minister said, “There is no truth in Imran Khan’s claims.”

    “Khan tried to strengthen relations with Washington when he was in power,” he said and asked, “What was their fault if he failed to boost ties with the US?”

  • Bilawal urges UN to create task force to tackle disinformation

    Bilawal urges UN to create task force to tackle disinformation

    Bilawal urges UN to create task force to tackle disinformation

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in his virtual address to the Group of Friends on Countering Disinformation urged that a United Nations (UN) backed task force be set up to counter disinformation.

    “We should agree on an international plan to counter disinformation online and offline, in the public and private domain,” said Bilawal.

    He urged that the UN department of information set an international standard of guidelines that countries can follow to tackle disinformation.

    FM Bhutto put forth some of his own suggestions on how disinformation can be dealt with ranging from creating public awareness campaigns about disinformation to increasing the capacity of governments to filter and limit hate speech.

    “Misinformation is the biggest problem of this era,” Bilawal said. “An effective strategy has to be formulated to tackle the issue of disinformation.”

  • Bilawal Bhutto defends ex-PM Imran Khan’s visit to Russia

    Bilawal Bhutto defends ex-PM Imran Khan’s visit to Russia

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday strongly defended Imran Khan’s Moscow visit, saying there was no way for the former prime minister to know that Russia would invade Ukraine on the day he landed in the Russian capital.

    “As far the former prime minister’s trip to Russia, I would absolutely defend the former prime minister of Pakistan. He conducted that trip as part of his foreign policy and without knowing that — no one is psychic, no one has a sixth sense — there’s no way we could have possibly known that that would be the time [when] the current conflict will start,” Bilawal said.

    https://twitter.com/MediaCellPPP/status/1527401668916256770?s=20&t=KZ4uVQyjDUUPrLQdo_hRgA

    “And I believe it is very unfair to punish Pakistan for such an innocent action.”

    Pakistan, he said, was absolutely clear that it has to stand by the principles of the United Nations, including that of non-use of force, on this issue.

    “We are not part of any conflict. We do not wish to be part of any conflict. In fact, we would continue to emphasise the importance of peace,” he said.

    “We would continue to emphasise the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve this conflict as soon as possible. And we will certainly not take any side or take the side of any aggressor within this context.”

    Twitterati praised FM Bilawal Bhutto for the way he defended not only the formal premier but Pakistan as well. Netizens did not spare this chance to compare Bilawal with Khan.

  • Bilawal to visit the US this month: report

    Bilawal to visit the US this month: report

     Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is expected to visit the United States (US) in the middle of this month, reports The News.

    United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken invited FM Bilawal to visit the US.

    Read More: US Secretary of State calls Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto

    Antony Blinken invited Bilawal to participate in the Ministerial meeting on Global Food Security to be held in New York on May 18, 2022. Secretary Blinken also invited Pakistan to the Second Global Covid Summit to be held virtually later this month.

    Blinken telephoned Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on May 6 to congratulate him on becoming the country’s new foreign minister.

  • US Secretary of State calls Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto

    US Secretary of State calls Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto

    United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday telephoned Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to congratulate him on becoming the country’s new foreign minister.

    Bilawal Bhutto and Antony Blinken tweeted about the telephonic contact between the two counterparts.

    The two also vowed to engage with mutual respect. 

    It is being reported that Blinken extended an invitation to Bilawal to visit the US this month.

    “An invitation was also extended by the Secretary of State for Pakistan’s participation in the Ministerial meeting on Global Food Security to be held in New York on 18 May 2022,” read a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

    Building on the Pakistan-US cooperation in dealing with the Covid pandemic during the last two years, Secretary Blinken also invited Pakistan to the Second Global Covid Summit to be held virtually later this month.