Ambassador Masood Khan Hosts National Press Club Journalists
By Elaine Pasquini
Photos by Phil Pasquini

Washington: On September 5, 2023, Masood Khan, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, hosted members of the National Press Club at Pakistan House, the ambassador’s residence in Washington, for an informal evening to enjoy delicious food and engaging conversations.

The ambassador expressed his gratitude to Eileen O’Reilly, the 116th president of the National Press Club, for promoting a culture of inclusivity, and thanked his guests for “making an impact every day, 24/7” through their work in the media to keep the public informed.

“Pakistan is a great country; we have a great future,” he said. “We’ve had some problems in the recent past. We are negotiating a transition and, as a nation, we remain resolute that we will resolve all our problems and will emerge as one of the strongest and most prosperous nations on earth.” This, he stated, is a designated objective for Pakistan and for him personally as both a representative and a citizen of Pakistan. “I remain confident that we will be able to attain this goal,” he added.

Noting that presently there is an interim government in Pakistan, the ambassador explained that its primary responsibility is to hold elections. “I’m sure they will work out a schedule done by the election commissioner of Pakistan and there should not be any concerns about human rights, rule of law or democracy in Pakistan,” he said.

Ambassador Khan went on to stress, however, that “the work of democracy, rule of law or human rights is never completely done. It’s a process in any country in any part of the world and Pakistan is no exception. But we are committed to these foundational principles and will continue to structure our politics and economy around these principles.”

One of his country’s outstanding strengths, he pointed out, is Pakistan’s strong judiciary. “We have a very robust society which demands accountability and transparency and we have one of the freest media in the world,” he assured the journalists gathered in the elegant salon of Pakistan House.

With respect to Pakistan’s economy, “we have to get it right,” he stated. “We have to focus on the economy. That is our strategic goal and priority.” And to accomplish this, Pakistan needs the support of international financial institutions and of the United States government, he said.

“Pakistan and United States relations are on track and on an even keel,” he continued. “After US troops withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021there was a period of uncertainty, but the two sides re-engaged and recalibrated the relationship and we are heavily investing in this relationship both in the security realm and the non-security realm.”

With regard to security in the region, Washington and Islamabad partner on counterterrorism, countering narcotics and Afghanistan stabilization, he told his guests. “We need a stable neighborhood and for that we need stabilization of Afghanistan, and we also need to have dialogue and diplomacy with India.”

In the non-security realm, the ambassador pointed out the US and Pakistan are working together to combat climate change and also in the areas of renewable energy, green technologies, stemming, stopping and preparing for pandemics, disease surveillance and all health sectors.

The ambassador also emphasized the importance of unleashing “the combined energy of Pakistan, Central Asia, West Asia and the Middle East for the socio-economic prosperity of the region,” which “is one ecosystem.”

Responding to an audience question on Pakistan’s role in the South Asian region especially regarding relations with China and the United States, the ambassador referred back to 1947 when Pakistan was a very fragile state and developed a relationship with the US. “The United States stepped forward, helped us militarily in training our armed forces and also assisted Pakistan economically,” he said. While over the years Pakistan has developed a close relationship with China, its neighbor, he reiterated that the roots of his country’s relationship with the US are “strong and there is no competition between our relationship with China and the United States.”

Expressing confidence in US-Pakistan relations going forward, Ambassador Khan concluded: “We love the United States’ system of freedoms and civil liberties, accountability and democracy, and we want the United States to succeed in its world leadership. We want to be closely associated with the United States.”

(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)