Tag: US State Department

  • ‘Latest donut shop news from Pakistan,’ Reporter asks US Spokesman about CJ donut controversy

    ‘Latest donut shop news from Pakistan,’ Reporter asks US Spokesman about CJ donut controversy

    Many reporters from Pakistani media outlets have, time and again, veered off the subject with their partisan questions to US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller concerning the country.

    This time around, a reporter asked about the latest viral video of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s visit to Crusteez Donuts. In the video, one of the employees curses at Isa and is later hailed across social media—primarily by pro-PTI supporters. The employee filmed the encounter almost a month ago, when the Mubarak Sani verdict, which concerns minority rights, was given out by the Chief Justice.

    “In Pakistan, this donut shop has become very popular by the name of Crusteez because its employee had called the Chief Justice of the supreme court of Pakistan that – shame on you. My question is – do you hear these things? I mean, spokesperson, you’ve seen globally – do you see countries where Chief Justices are called shame on you?” he asked.

    Visibly taken aback by the frivolous question, Miller responded sarcastically, “I am not fully tracking donut shop – the latest donut shop news from Pakistan, I will admit.”

    After a short, awkward exchange to laugh off the unnecessary question, the reporter continued: “After the three pillars of the states are gone in Pakistan, that’s why I was asking about it.

    But KP, the province which I belong to and have the newspaper since 40 years, its chief minister in a statement yesterday said to the federal government of Shehbaz Sharif, after their protest was interrupted and stuff, that if next time you shoot us with one bullet, we’re going to shoot you with 10 bullets. Does these kind of statements worry the U.S. at all about the situation in Pakistan?”

    To which Miller replied, “So I wasn’t aware of that statement until you brought it to my attention. I’d want to see it in its full context before I commented.”

    The reporter attempted to contribute further to the conversation, but Miller cut him off, saying, “Let me – let me go ahead because I’m – we’re running out of time. Let me go to your colleague.”

  • US gives ridiculous justification to embargo Pakistan’s missile programme

    US gives ridiculous justification to embargo Pakistan’s missile programme

    The United States (US) has reiterated its double standards in the international world, emphasizing its stance on Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile programme, citing the absurd reason of strengthening the international non-proliferating regime.

    In a press briefing from Washington, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated, “We have been clear and consistent about our concerns with Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme for many years.”

    “Pakistan has been a long-term partner of ours, and I think what this action shows is that there continue to be places where we have disagreement, and when we have disagreements, we won’t hesitate to act on those to protect America’s interests,” Miller added.

    Responding to Miller’s statement, Pakistan stated, “Such double standards and discriminatory practices undermine the credibility of global nonproliferation regimes, increase military asymmetries, and endanger international peace and security.”

    The US imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies and a Chinese research institute that had assisted Pakistan in developing the Shaheen Three and Ababeel missile systems.

    In a statement, the spokesperson of the State Department had cleared that these embargos were imposed under the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and Export Control Reform Act (ECRA).

  • US opposes ‘violent actions, looting, arson’ during May 9 riots

    US opposes ‘violent actions, looting, arson’ during May 9 riots

    United States’ State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Monday that the US supported the right of the public to protest, adding that it opposes violent actions, looting, and arson, while addressing a news briefing in Washington, DC.

    “We support legitimate, free expression, including the right to protest, the right to peaceful assembly, and we oppose violent actions, we oppose vandalism, looting, arson,” the spokesperson added.

    Miller replied to a journalist’s question on May 9 riots, saying, “Governments should deal consistently with the rule of law and free speech.”

    On May 9, 2023, riots were triggered across the country when former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC).

    Following the attacks on military and civilian installations, scores of PTI workers and leaders were put behind bars for their involvement in thr violence.

  • US tells Taliban to stop terrorists from using Afghan soil

    US tells Taliban to stop terrorists from using Afghan soil

    The US State Department has supported Pakistan’s initiatives against terrorism and called on Taliban leaders to stop terrorists from using Afghanistan’s land.

    In a conversation with Geo News, a State Department spokesperson said, “We support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of its citizens in a manner that promotes the rule of law and protection of human rights.”

    The spokesperson said that Pakistan suffers a lot due to terrorism, adding that no country should suffer this much due to terrorism.

    “We urge the Taliban to ensure that Afghan soil is not used to support terrorist groups, movement of terrorists, or acts of terrorism.

    “We have been very clear that we will judge the Taliban by what they do, not what they say. The Taliban wantsl international legitimacy. This requires the Taliban to meet their commitments to the international community,” the official said.

    The US state spokesperson also said that the only concern of the US was to make sure that Afghanistan is not a secure and comfortable place for terrorists who want to harm the US, its partners, and allies. 

    The official added, “We are in regular communication with Pakistani leaders as a part of our partnership on counterterrorism issues. We continue to discuss Afghanistan in detail, including through our annual counterterrorism dialogue and other bilateral consultations.”

  • 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.

  • US warns Taliban of action if terrorists ‘regroup’ in Afghanistan

    US warns Taliban of action if terrorists ‘regroup’ in Afghanistan

    The United States (US) has warned of action if the superpower sees “international terrorists regrouping in Afghanistan” while saying that US’ broader goal was to make sure that “terrorists and others aren’t able to use Afghanistan as a launch pad for attacks on Pakistan.”

    US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, in a press briefing, stated: “We also have capabilities when it comes to counterterrorism in the region that does not leave us entirely beholden to the Taliban.”

    He also mentioned the killing of the al-Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri by a US strike in August this year to prove the superpower’s capabilities to act against terrorists.

    The spokesperson also added that the Afghan Taliban had been “either unable or unwilling to live up to the commitments that they’ve made in a number of areas.”

    Answering a question, Price said, “Of course, we’ve seen other groups also active. You mentioned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), among others. We are determined to work with our partners in the region, including Pakistan, to do what we can to take on the threat of terrorism in the region, and certainly the threat of terrorism that extends well beyond the region.”

    Terming Pakistan an “important partner”, Price said that the US values its bilateral relationship with the country. “We welcome opportunities to expand cooperation in areas that are of mutual interest to us and to Pakistan. That, of course, does include when it comes to counterterrorism”, he added.

    Earlier this week, Pakistan’s Head of Mission to Kabul Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani escaped an assassination bid in Afghanistan. Last month, a suicide attack— for which TTP claimed responsibility— rammed a police escort for a polio vaccination team in Quetta.

  • US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar submits resolution against India

    US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar submits resolution against India

    United States (US) Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has submitted a resolution in the House of Representatives on Tuesday in which she condemned the human rights abuses in India.

    The resolution said that the House has expressed grave concern about the “worsening treatment” of religious minorities in India and called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to designate India as a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

    The resolution includes two reports i.e. a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and a Report on International Religious Freedom 2021 by the US State Department which was published on June 2, 2022.

    The resolution highlighted that the USCIRF had called for designating India as a country of particular concern for three consecutive years.

    According to the resolution, the report mentioned cases of the Indian government’s “repression of religious minority leaders and voices for religious pluralism in India, including the Jesuit human rights defender Father Stan Swamy and the Muslim human rights advocate Khurram Parvez”.

    According to the resolution, the report said: “Many of the incidents [on minorties] were violent, unprovoked, and/or encouraged or incited by government officials.”

    The resolution said that in the International Religious Freedom 2021 report by State Department there are numerous examples of violence and threats of violence against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, in India throughout 2021.

    It added that while presenting the report, Blinken himself said that “In India, the world’s largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths, we’ve seen rising attacks on people and places of worship.”

    In April, Omar made a visit to Pakistan’s part of Kashmir. She said the issue should get more attention from the US which prompted an angry response from India. The congresswoman has always highlighted the Kashmir issue on several platforms.

  • 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.

  • PM Khan to present ‘secret letter’ in parliament today

    PM Khan to present ‘secret letter’ in parliament today

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has decided to present a ‘secret letter’ before parliament, as the National Assembly (NA) session will resume on Thursday (today) after a recess of three days. The secret “threat letter” was shown to the cabinet members on a TV screen.

    PM Khan also called a selected group of TV anchors and informed them about the contents of the letter. However, the letter was not shown to them.

    National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar in a tweet said, “If the parliamentary leaders from the government and the opposition side agree, the issue of the sensitive letter can be discussed at an in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.”

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry while speaking with Dawn said, “An in-camera session of the National Assembly or a joint sitting of parliament will be held in which the letter will be shared not only with the treasury benchers but also with those MNAs sitting on the opposition benches.”

    State Department says no US government agency or official sent a letter to Pakistan

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government confirmed on Wednesday that its allegation about a foreign conspiracy against the premier was based on a “diplomatic cable”.

    During the meeting with journalists, the media persons were informed that a Pakistani envoy was told by a senior official of the host country that they had issues with PM Khan’s foreign policy, especially his visit to Russia and the stance on the ongoing Ukrainian war.

    The Pakistani envoy was further conveyed that the future trajectory of relations between the two countries was dependent upon the fate of the no-confidence motion that the Opposition parties were then planning to bring against the premier. The envoy was warned of serious implications if PM Khan survived the no-trust vote.

    It was also reported that the cable was sent by Pakistan’s then-ambassador to the United States Asad Majeed Khan on the basis of his meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu.

    Meanwhile, Americans deny in private discussions that any specific message was delivered to the Pakistani envoy, says Dawn.

    Responding to questions from Dawn about the alleged letter and US involvement in the no-confidence motion against the PTI government, a State Department spokesperson said: “There is no truth to these allegations.”

    Dawn further quotes a discussion with a few diplomats in accordance with the letter.

    According to some diplomatic sources in Washington, the letter could be a diplomatic cable from Washington, drafted by a senior Pakistani diplomat. “The contents of the letter, apparently, are based on informal discussions between Pakistani and other officials,” one diplomatic source said.

    A Western diplomat thinks that it has happened because someone had to be scapegoated for the current political crisis and there could have been no better option than the United States.

  • No specific reaction to Pakistan-TTP talks, says US official

    No specific reaction to Pakistan-TTP talks, says US official

    The United States (US) has refused to give a specific reaction when asked about Pakistan and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) deal, reports Dawn.

    The question was raised at the US State Department briefing where a journalist reminded Spokesperson Ned Price that the US still considered the TTP a terrorist outfit and asked him to comment on it.

    Price replied, “If we have a specific reaction on the Pakistani dialogue with the Pakistani Taliban, we will, of course, let you know,” while adding that Washington is in regular contact with Pakistan regarding their approach to Afghanistan.

    “We have heard both publicly and privately from our Pakistani counterparts that they too have an interest in seeing to it that the gains, including among Afghanistan’s minorities, including among its women and girls, over the past 20 years not be squandered,” the US official added.

    Moreover, he ensured, “There is quite a bit of alignment of interest when it comes to Afghanistan, and we’re continuing to have those conversations.”

    Earlier, it was announced that a new envoy for Afghanistan Tom West would visit Islamabad later this week to clarify US expectations of the Taliban.

    Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister (FM) Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday on a three-day visit. It is the first to Pakistan by an Afghan minister since the Taliban came into power in August.