ISLAMABAD: Pursuing a vibrant foreign policy, Pakistan’s leadership including President Dr. Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi collectively visited 32 countries during 2021 to enhance bilateral ties with the respective states.
The country also hosted the leaders from 35 countries which showed that 2021 was the year Pakistan’s regional and global association, according to Foreign Ministry. During the year, Foreign Minister Qureshi held 85 bilateral meetings with counterparts from over 50 countries.
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The year marked the prime minister’s address to the UN Genera Assembly’s 76th session wherein he spoke about COVID-19, climate change, Islamophobia, Kashmir issue, and Afghanistan situation. He also put forward a proposal for concession in the payment of loans for the developing countries to protect them against the economic impacts of the pandemic.
The foreign minister highlighted Palestine, Kashmir, and Afghanistan situation at world forums like the UN. Pakistan also issued a dossier containing irrefutable evidences of the human rights abuses by India in IIOJK. Even at the meeting of the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers held in Niger, Qureshi led the resolutions against Indian atrocities in IIOJK as well as Islamophobia.
Pursuing the prime minister’s vision and advancing Pakistan’s economic agenda, Foreign Minister Qureshi also held contacts with numerous important countries for trade and economic strategic partnership. After Taliban takeover of August 15, the foreign minister contacted with several counterparts to draw their attention towards the humanitarian situation. Pakistan also took the neighboring countries into confidence to formulate a joint strategy on the situation.
Consequent to Pakistan’s efforts, a platform of six neighboring countries came into being which held its two sessions in Pakistan and Iran respectively with third one expected to be held in China. On Saudi Arabia’s proposal, Pakistan also recently hosted the extraordinary session of the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan which was attended by 70 delegates including 30 foreign and deputy foreign ministers.
The foreign ministry also took solid steps for extension of the consular access as well as other facilities to the overseas Pakistanis. Under Public Diplomacy, the launch of the initiatives like Vision FO, FM Direct, and FM Portal were among the prominent successes achieved during 2021.
