Pakistan will not attend US Summit for Democracy 2023
Pakistan has decided not to attend the Democracy Summit in Washington this week and has chosen to hold bilateral talks with the US to promote democratic values.
The US-led virtual summit begins today and China and Turkey have not been invited to the summit.
Pakistan’s participation in the second Summit for Democracy in the US had been under discussion for some time, particularly as the move could have angered Pakistan’s long-time friend China, which was not invited to the summit and was therefore not invited.
While this decision was a challenging one and Pakistan had to decide whether to participate in the meeting or not considering the potential threats to its diplomatic relations.
The Foreign Office in a statement on Tuesday responded to the media queries regarding an invitation to attend the Second Summit for Democracy.
The Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are thankful to the United States and the co-host countries for inviting Pakistan to attend the Second Summit for Democracy being held on 29-30 March 2023.
“As a vibrant democracy, the people of Pakistan are deeply committed to democratic values and generations of Pakistanis time after time have upheld their faith in democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms. This month, the nation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Constitution which is the fountain of a democratic polity in Pakistan.
“We value our friendship with the United States. Under the Biden Administration, this relationship has widened and expanded substantially. We remain committed to further solidifying this relationship for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
“Pakistan has not been part of the Summit process that commenced in 2021 and required countries to make certain national commitments. The Summit process is now at an advanced stage and therefore, Pakistan would engage bilaterally with the United States and co-hosts of the Summit to promote and strengthen democratic principles and values and work towards advancing human rights and the fight against corruption.”
