She added that Pakistan’s economic relationship with the US “has always been strong, continues to develop”
Acting US Ambassador to Pakistan, Natalie Baker. Photo: (file)
ISLAMABAD:
US chargé d’affaires Natalie Baker has said that Pakistan is a sovereign nation and must protect itself from falling into any country’s “debt trap”, stressing that the country should fully implement its privatization program and complete the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) reform agenda to ensure long-term economic stability.
She was speaking informally to reporters at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Sunday, where she had arrived to attend the ceremony where President Asif Ali Zardari presented the country’s highest civilian award, the Nishan-e-Pakistan, to Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
Asked about Pakistan’s close ties with China, Baker said Pakistan was “a free and sovereign country” that could maintain ties with any nation it wished, but must carefully protect its economic sovereignty and interests.
“Any project that leads a country into a debt trap is a matter of concern to the entire world,” she said, adding that Washington was fully aware of the sensitive nature of Pakistan-China relations.
Baker stressed that only full compliance with the IMF’s reform program would make Pakistan’s economic strategy successful. She noted that the World Bank was also providing effective support to Pakistan.
When asked whether the IMF and the World Bank were overly strict on Pakistan, she replied that the IMF wanted Pakistan to pursue economic reforms that would result in “a better and sustainable economy”.
She added that Pakistan’s economic relationship with the US “has always been strong and continues to develop”.
Baker stressed that Pakistan’s sovereignty was “extremely important” to Washington and said the US was helping Pakistan “with a big heart”.
In response to a query about a possible visit by President Trump, she said that when he finds time from his international commitments, “he will visit Pakistan”.
