Envoys converge on capital for high-level huddle

Published January 1, 2025
OUTGOING US Ambassador Donald Blome meets Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, on Tuesday.—PPI
OUTGOING US Ambassador Donald Blome meets Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, on Tuesday.—PPI

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Min­is­ter Ishaq Dar on Tuesday chaired a meeting of Pakistan’s envoys at key multilateral and bilateral missions.

Foreign Secretary Amna Balo­­ch and senior Foreign Office officials also attended the meeting.

According to the offici­­al Associated Press of Pa­­kistan, the Envoys shared their assessments and vie­ws on regional and global developments and inputs for foreign policy priorities for 2025 and beyond.

In his keynote address, the foreign minister sha­red the vision of a dynamic foreign policy in its bilateral and multilateral dimensions.

He underscored Pakis­­­tan’s commitment to stre­ngthening its relations with countries around the world and urged the envoys to play their role in enhancing the country’s global profile and developing international partnerships.

Separately, outgoing US Amb­a­­ssador Donald Blo­­­me on Tues­day reiterated the commitment of the US to continue supporting Pakistan’s economic reforms and growth.

The diplomat on Tuesday paid a farewell call on Federal Min­ister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aur­angzeb at the Finance Di­­vision.

Ambassador Blome ex­­p­ressed his appreciation for the strong and enduring relationship between the United States and Pakistan. The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides expressing their desire to further strengthen bilateral relations, especially in the areas of trade and economic collaboration.

Senator Aurangzeb briefed the Ambassador on Pakistan’s econo­mic outlook, emphasising the go­­vernment’s reform agenda aim­ed at achieving macroeconomic stability and ending the boom-and-bust cycle through export-led growth. He highlighted the key sectors of the economy where reforms are being pursued to foster sustainable growth.

The minister expressed gratitude to the United States for its invaluable support in facilitating the signing of the Stand-by Arrangement and the subsequent Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with the IMF. Senator Aurangzeb also acknowledged the critical role of the US as Pakistan’s largest trading partner and a significant market for Pakistani goods and services.

Bakhtawar Mian in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025

Opinion

Editorial

Words that wound
Updated 18 Jun, 2026

Words that wound

Hate speech rarely begins with physical attacks.
‘New urban province’
18 Jun, 2026

‘New urban province’

CONSIDERING the advance state of urban decay that affects Karachi, voices are often raised calling for the megacity,...
Punjab budget: mixed bag
18 Jun, 2026

Punjab budget: mixed bag

PUNJAB’S budget for FY27 is a mix of good and bad political choices, with a cash-strapped centre tightening the...
Spoiler alert
17 Jun, 2026

Spoiler alert

AFTER the temporary peace deal between the US and Iran is physically signed in Geneva on Friday, an arduous process...
Storm-tested cities
17 Jun, 2026

Storm-tested cities

THE deaths caused by the latest spell of monsoon rains in KP and Punjab illustrate how quickly severe weather can...
Chakwal tragedy
17 Jun, 2026

Chakwal tragedy

A NINE-year-old girl is dead because a Punjab Crime Control Department gunman mistook her family’s car for a...