Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan has dispelled any notion that the ministry was involved in the recent visit by US investors to Pakistan, highlighting that the Foreign Ministry had no role in facilitating their arrival.
This statement comes amid growing speculation regarding the influence of US diplomatic figures on economic matters in Pakistan.
Speaking at a weekly briefing, Mr Khan addressed a range of pressing issues, including the status of US aid programs. He confirmed that the US government had temporarily halted aid programs for 90 days to conduct a performance review.
However, Khan expressed optimism that these programs, managed by agencies such as USAID, would soon resume operations in Pakistan. "We hope that all agencies will start working on their projects in Pakistan soon," Khan remarked.
On the issue of deportation of immigrants from the US, Khan explained that the decision was part of a new executive order. The government, he assured, would extend assistance to affected Pakistani nationals in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior.
The spokesperson also took the opportunity to reject any negative propaganda about Pakistan’s relationship with China. "The friendship between Pakistan and China is as old as it is strong," Khan stated, reaffirming the country’s unwavering ties with its long-time ally.
Turning to the upcoming multinational peace exercises organized by the Pakistan Navy, Khan revealed that delegations from 60 countries would participate in the event, set to take place from February 7 to 11. He also shared that Pakistani citizens who survived the Moroccan boat tragedy would return home in two separate batches.
US investors’ delegation head refutes claims about Grenell
In an unexpected turn of events, Gentry Beach, the head of a US investors' delegation currently in Pakistan, publicly responded to earlier claims regarding former US Ambassador Richard Grenell. Beach, speaking to journalists, refuted accusations that Grenell had been misled by deepfake technology in relation to his past comments about Pakistan.
Beach explained that Grenell, who had served under the Trump administration, was initially misinformed through artificial intelligence-generated briefings that distorted the reality of Pakistan’s situation. "Richard Grenell had been misled by deepfake technology, and his remarks about Pakistan were based on his understanding at the time," Beach asserted. "However, he now has a far better grasp of Pakistan’s reality."
Beach further shared that Grenell himself had admitted to being disheartened after discovering that the online information he had received was false. "I was given false briefings on the internet through artificial intelligence," Grenell reportedly confided to Beach, "although in reality, that was not the case."
The US investor delegation’s visit to Pakistan is seen as an important step toward fostering stronger economic ties between the two nations. Despite the controversy surrounding Grenell’s earlier statements, Beach emphasized that the former ambassador now fully supports ongoing initiatives in Pakistan, especially those aimed at countering terrorism and promoting economic growth.
