The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan has summoned US Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Schofer and handed over a demarche to him regarding a joint statement issued by the United States and India.
The statement called on Islamabad to take decisive action against extremist groups operating from within Pakistan.
The summoning of the US diplomat comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington, where he received a warm reception from US President Joe Biden.
The visit resulted in the sealing of significant defense and technology deals, reflecting Washington’s increasing focus on India as a strategic counterbalance to China.
Perceiving the visit as an opportunity to advance India’s stance against Pakistan, the joint statement issued by the two heads of state emphasized the need for Pakistan to crack down on extremist elements that pose a threat to New Delhi’s interests.
The development highlights the complex dynamics between the United States, India, and Pakistan, as each country pursues its own interests while navigating the geopolitical landscape of the region.
“[The two leaders] strongly condemned cross-border terrorism, the use of terrorist proxies and called on Pakistan to take immediate action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terrorist attacks,” the statement said.
Today, the Foreign Office (FO) said, the US deputy chief of mission was summoned and Pakistan’s concerns and disappointment at the “unwarranted, one-sided and misleading references to it in the joint statement” were conveyed to him.
It was stressed that the United States should refrain from issuing statements that may be construed as an encouragement of India’s baseless and politically motivated narrative against Pakistan,” the FO statement said.
It was also emphasised that counter-terrorism cooperation between Pakistan and US was progressing well and that an enabling environment centred around “trust and understanding” was imperative to further solidify Pakistan-US ties, the statement added.
In an earlier statement, the FO had said the reference to Pakistan in the statement was “contrary to diplomatic norms and has political overtones”.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have also criticised the joint statement.
