Pakistan summons US envoy, hands over demarche over Biden’s ‘misleading’ remarks

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Saturday handed a demarche to US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome following President Joe Biden’s “misleading” remarks over Islamabad’s nuclear programme.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said Acting Foreign Secretary Jauhar Saleem called in US Ambassador Donald Blome to deliver a demarche on the recent remarks made by US President Joe Biden on 14th October during a Congressional Campaign Committee reception.

Pakistan’s disappointment and concern was conveyed to the US envoy on the unwarranted remarks, which were not based on ground reality or facts. It was made clear that Pakistan was a responsible nuclear state and its impeccable stewardship of the nuclear program and adherence to global standards and international best practices was well acknowledged, including by the IAEA.

The real threat to international peace and security was posed by violation of global norms by some states, repeated nuclear security incidents without any accountability, and arms race between leading nuclear weapon states and introduction of new security constructs that disturb regional balance. It was essential to maintain the positive trajectory of Pakistan-US relations and the close cooperation between the two sides to build regional and global peace.