- Thank Trump for ending the 88-hour standoff, calling it a ‘vital act’.
- Urgently calls for UN-backed Kashmir issue mediation for regional peace.
- Says only undocumented Afghan refugees will be repatriated.
WASHINGTON, DC: Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, has reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to diplomacy, stability and pragmatic economic policy, calling the Pakistan-US partnership “vital” for peace and progress.
“Between the two mega-countries of today and tomorrow – from both a contemporary and a futuristic perspective – good relations are not a matter of choice or preference; they are indispensable,” Ambassador Sheikh said during a panel discussion on “The Future of the US-Pakistan Relationship” at the Future Security Forum 2025 in Washington, DC.
Highlighting the depth and continuity of the bilateral partnership, Ambassador Sheikh noted that Pakistan and the United States shared a long-standing and consequential relationship characterized by cooperation on critical global challenges, including counter-terrorism and climate change.
The 11th annual Future Security Forum was organized by Arizona State University and New America in partnership with Security & Defense PLuS. The event brought together senior politicians, defense experts and thought leaders for discussions on new global security dynamics.
He thanked the US leadership, particularly President Trump, for facilitating the ceasefire that ended the 88-hour standoff, calling it “a vital action that prevented escalation in a nuclear neighborhood of 1.7 billion people.”
Addressing a wide range of issues including climate change, India-Pakistan relations, the situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), China-Pakistan relations, the Ukraine conflict and regional tensions with Afghanistan, Ambassador Sheikh reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to diplomacy, stability and pragmatic policy-making.
He spoke at length about Pakistan’s climate resilience and self-reliance. He said climate change was not an abstract concept for Pakistan but an existential crisis.
The ambassador recounted the country’s repeated cycles of devastating floods and described new phenomena such as cloud bursts and combinations, sequential climate disasters that have destroyed infrastructure, reversed economic gains and disrupted development programs.
Sheikh stressed that Pakistan’s diplomacy today was deeply intertwined with climate policy and economic security, noting that “what we build every few years is washed away by floods, but we still have to pay back what we borrowed to rebuild.”
He reiterated Pakistan’s principled position on the IIOJK and called for international mediation to help the Kashmiri people realize their right to self-determination in accordance with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, stressing that peace in South Asia remains contingent on the resolution of this long-standing dispute.
Rejecting “camp politics”, he said Pakistan’s foreign policy seeks balanced relations. He argued that Pakistan’s ties with Beijing were rooted in historical continuity and economic cooperation.
“There is no binary choice for us. Our relationship with China did not start yesterday and it will not end tomorrow,” he noted, adding that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) must be seen through an economic lens, as a facilitator of regional connectivity and prosperity.
He recalled Pakistan’s pivotal role in promoting US-China rapprochement decades ago and expressed willingness to play a similar role today as an economic bridge to global peace and progress.
Ambassador Sheikh condemned cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan and stated that Pakistan has endured immense suffering under terrorism and will address it resolutely.
However, he confirmed that diplomacy remained Pakistan’s preferred approach to resolve bilateral issues with both Afghanistan and India.
“Diplomacy is our preference. Pakistan’s history shows that we have always stood for diplomatic solutions,” affirmed the ambassador.
On the issue of Afghan refugees, Ambassador Sheikh clarified that only undocumented or illegal residents were repatriated and that Pakistan wanted to ensure their return in a dignified manner.
Movement across the Pak-Afghan border should be visa-based as per international practice, he continued.
Regarding the ongoing Ukraine conflict, he acknowledged and welcomed peace efforts led by the United States under the leadership of President Trump and expressed hope for their success.
Ambassador Sheikh concluded by thanking the organizers of the forum and engaging with the audience in a constructive question-and-answer session that underscored Pakistan’s continuing commitment to global peace, dialogue and mutual respect in international relations.
