WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Monday on Pakistan to seek debt relief from its close partner China as floods devastate the country.

Blinken promised strong US support for Pakistan as it dries out from the floods, which have submerged one-third of the country, an area the size of the United Kingdom.

“We send a simple message. We are here for Pakistan, just as we were during past natural disasters, looking ahead to rebuild,” Blinken said after talks in Washington with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

“I also urged our colleagues to engage China on some of the important issues of debt relief and restructuring so that Pakistan can more quickly recover from the floods,” Blinken said.

China is a key economic and political partner of Pakistan, pushing ahead with a $54 billion “economic corridor” that will build infrastructure and give Beijing an outlet to the Indian Ocean, although Chinese interests have also faced attacks from separatists.

Washington, whose Cold War alliance with Islamabad has frayed, has repeatedly charged that China will reap the benefits while Pakistan will face unsustainable debt.

The warnings by the United States – which considers China its preeminent global competitor – have repeatedly been brushed aside by Pakistan.

Bhutto Zardari said that President Joe Biden, who signed a landmark domestic climate package last month, also needed to look at “climate justice.”

“It’s not only important that you ‘build back better’ here,” he said, using Biden’s campaign slogan.

“The opportunity of this crisis in Pakistan is that we must build back better – greener, more climate-resilient – back home as well,” he said.

“I believe that working together we can do this.”

Pakistan, despite being the fifth most populous country, contributes only about 0.8 percent of greenhouse gas emissions blamed for climate change due to its state of development.

Lingering distrust on Afghanistan

The US relationship with Pakistan sharply deteriorated over the course of the two-decade war in Afghanistan.

“We have had our differences – that’s no secret,” Blinken said.

But he said Pakistan and the United States “have a shared stake in Afghanistan’s future,” including greater freedoms for women and girls, whose rights have again been heavily curtailed by the Taliban under their austere interpretation of Islam.

In another longstanding concern of the United States, Blinken encouraged Pakistan to respect for freedom of religion and expression.

Pakistan has seen repeated attacks against religious minorities and mob violence over accusations of blasphemy.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s five-month-old government has faced criticism for restrictions on the media since he replaced Imran Khan, who lost a no-confidence vote in parliament after running afoul of the military.

Blinken also called on Pakistan to pursue a “responsible relationship” with India.

Dialogue has been at a standstill between the historic rivals, with India launching airstrikes in February 2019 in response to a deadly attack blamed on Pakistan-backed militants.

Immediately after meeting Bhutto Zardari, Blinken was hosting a dinner for India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, with whom he will hold talks on Tuesday.

The South Asian foreign ministers were not expected to meet in Washington.

Aaj TV adds: Meanwhile, Secretary Blinken announced another $10 million in food security assistance for flood-hit Pakistan.**

He made the announcement during a joint press briefing with Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

Bilawal said a green revolution was around and he expected US President Biden to lead this revolution in the world.

The foreign minister, who discussed bilateral issues with Blinken, also said that diplomacy had returned to Pakistan-United States relations.

Bilawal said that Pakistan’s contribution to global carbon emissions was merely a 0.8% but it was bearing the consequences of global warming. Recent monsoon rains created a 100km long lake in the country, he said.

Secretary Blinken said that the financial relations between Pakistan and the United States could be strengthened.

He said his country stood with Pakistan in this difficult hour.

Pakistan-US achieve great things working together, concur Bilwal Blinken

Blinken said that a failure to deal with the challenge of floods would have lasting impact.

The secretary of states also said that Pakistan and the United States had a joint agenda for the development of progress of Afghanistan.

Blinken also commented on the meeting in a tweet.

“Spoke with Pakistani FM Bilwal Bhutto Zardari at the @NMADmuseum about the $10 million in additional U.S. aid towards food security in Pakistan. We are proud to build on other efforts as well, including women’s empowerment via @USPWC. We are stronger when we work together,” he said.

Bilawal also said that history had proven that wen Pakistan United States work together they achieve great things.

“Celebrated #PakUsAt75 w/ @SecBlinken & Pak-US community at @StateDept. History has proven that when 🇵🇰 & 🇺🇸 work together we achieved great things. developing countries are looking for climate Justice. 🇺🇸 & int. community can play key role in helping build back better & greener,” he tweeted.