Biden’s scathing remarks came at a private Democratic Party reception Los Angeles In its assessment of the global geopolitical situation in the context of US troubles with Russia and China.
“I’ve spent more time with Xi Jinping than anyone in the world – 78 hours’ worth … I’ve traveled 17,000 miles with him … This is a man who understands what he wants But it has a huge, huge range of problems. How do we handle it? How do we handle that relative to what’s happening in Russia? And I think maybe one of the most dangerous countries in the world One is: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without reconciliation,” Biden said in a fundraiser for Congress DemocratsAccording to the White House transcript.
Notably, Biden’s scathing remarks highlighting Islamabad’s dodgy nukes came days after his administration approved a $450 million renewal package for Pakistan’s F-16s, one of its nuclear weapons delivery options. Is. The comments also came a week after the US-Pakistan engagement involving the country’s top general Asif Bajwa and its foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto, both of whom were in Washington over the past few years in an effort to re-establish ties with the US. ,
The US president’s remarks triggered a frenzied backlash in Pakistan with the country’s leaders, analysts and TV anchors over what they see as Washington’s anti-war and Pakistan’s safe and secure nuclear arsenal.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan said, “I repeat categorically: Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and we are proud that our nuclear assets have the best security measures in accordance with the requirements of the IAEA. We take these security measures extremely seriously. . No one should have any doubts.” Shahbaz Sharif tweeted.
I reiterate categorically: Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and we are proud that our nuclear assets… https://t.co/8pkEzFc4y5
— Shahbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) 1665839716000
In a separate press release, he said the real threat to international peace and security is “hyper-nationalism, human rights violations in areas that are struggling against illegal occupation, violations of global norms by some states, repeatedly Nuclear security incidents, arms races between major nuclear-weapon states, and the introduction of new security constructs that upset the regional balance.”
“Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is fully capable of defending its national interests while respecting international law and practices. Our nuclear program is in no way a threat to any country. Like all independent states Pakistan reserves the right to defend its autonomy, sovereign state status and territorial integrity,” tweeted his brother Nawaz Sharif, former prime minister of Pakistan.
It was not immediately clear whether Biden’s observation came from any new US assessments of Pakistan’s stability and its nuclear weapons, or whether there was a lack of cohesion related to the country’s politics or its nuclear arsenal. The US president often makes controversial passages at party gatherings, and his recent unpublished criticisms include developments in Italy and Hungary where right-wing forces have come to the fore.
But Pakistan’s political instability has become a headache for Washington, especially when it was dragged into a power struggle between the Sharif brothers and the US. Imran KhanOne who realizes that he was ousted by the country’s military and the brothers working with America.
Khan also lambasted Biden’s remarks, but his response included a sarcastic reference to Sharif’s “imported government”, implying it was backed by Washington.
“I have 2 questions on this (Biden’s comment): 1. On what information has @POTUS come to this unreasonable conclusion on our nuclear capability, when, as Prime Minister, I know we have the safest nuclear Is the command and control system? 2 Unlike the US which has been involved in wars around the world, when has Pakistan shown aggression after denuclearization? Equally imp, this Biden statement imported the government’s foreign policy and “with the US” Shows total failure of claims of “reset of relations? Is this a “reset”? This government has broken all records of incompetence,” Khan tweeted.
Sharif’s brothers and Imran Khan’s supporters have literally brought their political scraps to Washington’s doorstep. On a visit to Washington DC this week to raise more money from the West, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was strongly accused of being a “liar” and a “thief” by a Khan supporter at the airport. While Dar responded by shouting, “You’re a thief,” one of his associates said, “Don’t shout. I’ll f**k you, you mama**ker! You don’t know who I am!”
The exchange scorched social media, bringing further notoriety to Pakistan, which has struggled to clean up its international image. There are many instances when Pakistani officials and ministers are being attacked abroad by their own countrymen of a different political affiliation.
watch Biden calls Pakistan ‘most dangerous country’, says it has nuclear weapons without any reconciliation