Islamabad – Pakistan’s Foreign Office has strongly condemned the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States on Pakistani commercial companies, stating that these restrictions were placed without evidence.
During a media briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan responded to a bill recently presented in the US Congress, emphasizing that it does not reflect the true nature of Pakistan-US bilateral relations. He noted that the bill was introduced by an individual and does not represent an official stance against Pakistan. He expressed hope that the US Congress would take steps to strengthen relations between the two countries.
Addressing reports of Pakistani journalists visiting Israel, the spokesperson clarified that Pakistani passports are not valid for travel to Israel. He stated that previous visits to Israel were made by dual nationals and reaffirmed that Pakistan’s stance on Israel remains unchanged. He further explained that the Pakistani passport explicitly states that it is not valid for travel to Israel. If any individual has entered Israel using a Pakistani passport, it must have been facilitated by special arrangements made by the host country.
Commenting on Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements, the spokesperson highlighted that Special Representative Sadiq Khan’s recent visit to Afghanistan was a high-level mission, covering a wide range of discussions. The visit was part of an ongoing dialogue process, and key issues, including the Jaffer Express incident and border infrastructure projects at Torkham, were raised with Afghan authorities.
Regarding the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, he welcomed the recent ceasefire between the two countries and expressed hope that it would become permanent. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining positive relations with both nations and emphasized that Pakistan has always prioritized dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution.