WASHINGTON: “In two words: trade diplomacy,” said Pakistan’s new ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, when asked about his mandate.

Ambassador Sheikh, who participated in a presentation of credentials ceremony at the US State Department on Thursday, just a week after his arrival, vowed to “strengthen bilateral ties to the best of his abilities”.

He emphasised the importance of maintaining strong connections with the Pakistani diaspora in the United States, highlighting that over a million Pakistanis reside in the US, which makes it a priority for Islamabad to foster close ties with this vibrant community.

“Trade is the new diplomacy. Even during active conflicts, like the recent border tensions between China and India in Ladakh, countries continue to maintain trade relations,” he noted.

“The United States is our largest trading partner, and we have maintained close strategic ties for over 70 years,” he added. “My mission is to further strengthen these bonds.”

In an earlier interaction with the Pakistani American community, Sheikh dismissed rumours that the embassy or authorities in Pakistan were maintaining a list of politically active individuals.

“There is no such list; there’s no blacklist,” he clarified, emphasising that “actively engaging with all Pakistani Americans is also part of my mandate”. He noted that his role requires engaging with all Pakistanis, regardless of their political affiliations.

Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Elizabeth Horst, also attended the presentation ceremony.

Mr Lu, considered a friend of Pakistan in the US State Department, has been involved in a controversy linked to the ousting and later incarceration of former prime minister Imran Khan. Mr Khan blames Lu for his ouster, and his supporters in the United States openly demand Lu’s transfer from the Bureau of South Asian Affairs, which he currently heads.

The State Department has rejected allegations of Lu’s involvement in Khan’s ouster, insisting that Washington has no favorites in the ongoing political dispute in Pakistan.

Ambassador Sheikh emphasised the importance of enhancing “high-level interactions, economic linkages, and people-to-people contacts between the two countries”. Last week, as he assumed his new responsibilities, he held introductory meetings with officers from the embassy and discussed priorities in the context of Pakistan’s economic situation.

Rizwan, who previously served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Pakistan Embassy for a long time, has held diplomatic responsibilities under former ambassadors Jalil Abbas Jilani, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Asad Majeed Khan, and Ali Jahangir Siddiqui.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2024