US backtracks on Pakistan, US State Dept says it can secure nukes

Washington [US], October 18 (ANI): The US on Sunday (local time) backtracked on President Joe Biden’s alarm over Pakistan’s ability to secure its nuclear arsenal and said that the country can secure its nukes.
US State Department spokesman, Vedant Patel told reporters, “The United States is confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its ability to secure its nuclear assets. It has always viewed a secure Pakistan as critical to US interests.”
Earlier, US President Biden said Pakistan may be one of the “most dangerous nations in the world” during an address in California while speaking about the changing global geopolitical situation.
The US president reasoned that he thought so as Pakistan has “nuclear weapons without cohesion”.
According to the transcript, available on the White House website, of Biden’s address at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reception in California, he said: “… And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion.”
Notably, Pakistan on Saturday summoned the US Ambassador Donald Blome for clarification after President Biden described Pakistan as “one of the most dangerous countries in the world.”
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday (local time) tried to avoid US President Joe Biden’s “Pakistan one of most dangerous nations in the world” remarks and said that she has “nothing to add on” the matter.
Replying to ANI’s question in a press briefing over Biden’s statement, she said, “The United States has no new comments on President Joe Biden’s Pakistan reference. The President has said before and I am not just going to add more. I did mention it on Friday in our press gaggle. Don’t have anything to add to what I said a couple of days ago.”
Earlier, Pierre on Friday said US President Joe Biden’s statement regarding Pakistan’s nuclear assets was “nothing new”, adding that he has also made those comments before.
“The President (Biden) views a secure and prosperous Pakistan critical to US interests. So that is something that he has been on Pakistan,” the press secretary said replying to a question during a press gaggle.
It is pertinent to note that Biden’s remarks come in the backdrop of the US selling USD 450 million worth of F-16 fleet to Pakistan.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken insisted that the sale would help Pakistan fight against terrorist groups but there are problems with his justification.
Earlier, in September, US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Pakistan for the sustainability of the Pakistan Air Force F-16 fleet and equipment at the cost of USD 450 million.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has raised questions over the “merits” of the US-Pakistan relationship and said that Washington’s ties with Islamabad have not served the “American interest”.
“It’s a relationship that has neither ended up serving Pakistan well nor serving the American interests,” Jaishankar said at an event organized by the Indian American community in Washington.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh promptly conveyed to US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin India’s concerns over Washington’s decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet.
“It’s really for the United States today to reflect on the merits of this relationship and what they get by it,” Jaishankar asserted.
“For someone to say I am doing this because it is all counter-terrorism content and so when you are talking of an aircraft like a capability of an F-16 where everybody knows, you know where they are deployed and their use. You are not fooling anybody by saying these things,” Jaishankar noted.
“If I were to speak to an American policy-maker, I would really make the case (that) look what you are doing,” Jaishankar strongly asserted. (ANI)