Govt has summoned US envoy over Biden's nuclear remarks: FM Bilawal

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Saturday said the US ambassador to the country Donald Blome had been summoned after President Joe Biden said in a speech that Pakistan is "maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world" as it has "nuclear weapons without any cohesion".

Speaking at a press conference, Bilawal said that as far as the question of the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets is concerned, the country meets each and every international standard in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) regulations.

“If there are any questions regarding nuclear safety, then they should be directed to India that accidentally fired a missile into Pakistani territory which is not only irresponsible and unsafe but also raises genuine and serious concerns about the safety of nuclear-capable countries,” he stressed. “I am surprised by Biden's remarks. This is exactly the sort of misunderstanding that is created when there is a lack of engagement.”

He announced that the government of Pakistan recently embarked on a journey of engagement with the US and marked the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations with the secretary of state.

“If there was a concern regarding nuclear assets, then it would have been raised in that meeting,” he said. “We will have additional opportunities to engage with the US and address the concerns and misconceptions it might have with regard to the nuclear capabilities of Pakistan.”

He was of the view that Pakistan should give the US the opportunity to explain its statement further.

Bhutto said he didn't think the decision to summon the US Ambassador will negatively affect relations with the United States.

“We are the defenders of our nuclear assets and we know how to protect the interests of our nation,” the foreign minister said, adding: "Mature states engage in dialogues."

Biden made the remarks at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reception on Thursday.

Biden was speaking about his frequent interactions with Chinese leader Xi Jinping when he said: "Did anybody think we'd be in a situation where China is trying to figure out its role relative to Russia and relative to India and relative to Pakistan?

"How do we handle that? How do we handle that relative to what's going on in Russia?

"And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion."

The president further said that while there is a lot going on in the world, ''there are also enormous opportunities for the United States to change the dynamic in the second quarter of the 21st century''.

Nuclear-armed Pakistan this week abstained from a United Nationals General Assembly vote to condemn Russia's annexation of parts of Ukraine, despite a major US diplomatic push to seek clearer condemnation of Moscow.

Reacting to Biden’s comments, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan tweeted “on what info has the president of US reached this unwarranted conclusion on our nuclear capability when, having been PM, I know we have one of the most secure nuclear command and control systems?”

Moreover, he questioned that, unlike the US which has been involved in wars across the world, when had Pakistan shown aggression, especially post-nuclearisation?

What is equally important is that “this Biden statement shows the total failure of imported government’s foreign policy and its claims of reset of relations with the US? Is this the reset?”

He criticised the government of Pakistan for breaking all records of incompetence.

“My greatest worry is that apart from leading us to economic ruin and with NRO2 for themselves, giving a license to white collar criminals to plunder the country, this government will also end up completely compromising our national security,” he wrote.