ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Thursday that he was the only foreign minister of the country who bought plane tickets and paid hotel bills during his foreign trips from his own pocket and did not burden the national exchequer with the expenses of his foreign trips.

“This is my privilege as a foreign minister as I am not an interior minister,” Bilawal said while responding to criticism over ‘freebie’ trips and added that he did not visit foreign countries for vacations.

He said that through his consistent high-level engagement with international community, the incumbent government pursued a prudent foreign policy to revive friendly foreign relations.

The foreign minister said that due to his foreign trips the government sensitized the international community about the damages by climate change-induced floods.

He said Pakistan received economic benefits due to his foreign visits and was currently leading the G77, the largest bloc of developing countries within the UN system.

He said that due to the government’s prudent foreign policy, the establishment of Loss and Damage Fund was agreed at the COP27 summit to support the developing world for the losses caused by the climate change-induced calamities.

“The removal of Pakistan from the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force also manifested my forceful advocacy of Pakistan’s measures to combat terror financing and simultaneous successful implementation of two action plans.”

FM Blawal aims to boost Pak-US partnership

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said that the foreign minister’s visit to the US aimed to boost Pakistan-Us partnership.

“At the Ministerial Conference [of the G-77 & China at the UN Headquarters in New York], the Foreign Minister highlighted the need for a multilateral mechanism for sustainable management of the sovereign debt of developing countries and for lowering of borrowing costs for them,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at a weekly press briefing today [Thursday].

She said that the primary purpose of the visit was to attend Ministerial Conference and to hold consultations for the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan to be held next month in Geneva.

To a question about the number of foreign visits by FM Bilawal after assuming office, she shared a list of the countries as — Saudi Arabia (twice), United Arab Emirates (twice), United States (thrice), China (twice), Switzerland, Iran, Uzbekistan (twice), Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Germany, Egypt, Indonesia, and Singapore.

The foreign minister chaired the Ministerial Conference of the G-77 & China on 15-16 December 2022. The Conference was convened by Pakistan in its capacity as the Chair of the G-77.

He called for fulfillment of the agreed Official Development Assistance (ODA) target of 0.7 percent of the GNI of developed countries; promoting sustainable infrastructure investments; and an equitable international Information Technology regime.

Foreign Minister also emphasized full implementation of the climate change agenda and climate commitments in accordance with the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. He added that restructuring the international trading system is critical to revive export-led growth in developing countries.

Pakistan in touch with Afghan govt regarding cross-border violence

During today’s press briefing, foreign office spokesperson said that Pakistan was in constant touch with the interim government of Afghanistan regarding the resurgence of terrorist incidents and cross-border violence.

“We have agreed to continue established institutional mechanism with Afghanistan to prevent such incidents,” Baloch said in response to a question on the clashes between the security forces of Pakistan and Afghanistan in Chaman-Spin Boldak area.

The spokesperson said Pakistan had reiterated to the Afghan authorities that the protection of civilians was the responsibility of both sides.

“Pakistan remains committed to maintaining its fraternal relations with Afghanistan and ensuring that peace is maintained,” she said.

She mentioned that Pakistan continued to engage with international players including the neighbouring Afghanistan to ensure that the terrorism emanating from Afghan soil could not affect it.

She hoped that the Afghan authorities would work towards fulfilling the commitments made to Pakistan to not allow their territory to be used against its neighbour.

Asked if Pakistan was using China’s leverage to counter Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the backdrop of the country’s engagement with Afghanistan, Baloch said Pakistan and China were close strategic partners and “We consult each other on all matters of interest including counter-terrorism and on the situation in Afghanistan.”

In response to the delay in disbursement of salaries to Pakistan’s missions abroad, the spokesperson said the process had been restored that faced suspension due to a “very complicated” issue pertaining to the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank, and the international channels. “Soon all the missions will have theie requisite funds,” she said.

‘No change in Kulbhushan Jadhav’s status

Asked about the update on the status of Indian serving Navy Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav who is serving a death sentence in Pakistan, she said, “ There is no change in the status.“

This week, the spokesperson said, Pakistan would host Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin, who will lead a high-level delegation for the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Joint Commission (IJC) – an important mechanism to promote mutually beneficial cooperation.

The meeting will focus on cooperation in trade and investment, agriculture, energy, transport and industry, science and technology, banking, higher education, and tourism, she said.

‘India sponsor of terrorist groups in South Asia’

The FO spokesperson said last week, the Indian delegation once again politicized an international forum to project its agenda to target and malign Pakistan. For the last several years, India politicized the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) process to prevent Pakistan’s exit from the Grey List and is following a similar agenda at the UN Security Council, she added.

“For a country that has a grandiose vision about itself and its place in the world, India has been unable to act as a responsible member of the international community that can assume new privileges that it aspires,” she said.

Baloch said India masqueraded itself as a victim of terrorism, yet it is itself a perpetrator of repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and a sponsor and financier of terrorist groups in South Asia, including Pakistan.

“We are concerned about the rise of extremist nationalism in India and its expansionist designs for the region. We still await condemnation from the Indian leadership on the recent call for violence and assassination by a BJP leader from Bhagpat,” she said.

The spokesperson said the occupation authorities were sealing properties owned by Kashmiris including those dedicated to educational institutions offering free education to disadvantaged Kashmiris. A property owned by Late Hurriyat Leader, Syed Ali Shah Gillani, located in Barzulla Srinagar, has also been designated for closure.

“India must be held accountable for these grave injustices. The only way to lasting peace in South Asia is by granting the people of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” she stressed.