Masood Khan, Biden have a chat on building stronger US-Pakistan ties

• Pakistan Ambassador have an official photograph with US President Joe Biden.
• Forty-six other ambassadors of different countries also attended meeting.
• Due to COVID restrictions, envoys of different countries were unable to meet US President. 

Pakistan’s newly appointed ambassador to Washington, Masood Khan, met United States (US) President Joe Biden Wednesday morning in Washington, Geo News reported.

“Sardar Masood Khan, Pakistan Ambassador to the United States, visited the White House to meet and greet President Joe Biden and have an official photograph with him which is an established tradition in Washington DC,” read a statement from the Pakistani embassy in the US.

During the meeting, US President Joe Biden and Ambassador Sardar Masood had a brief conversation on building a strong basis to move US-Pakistan ties forward.

According to the statement, 46 other ambassadors of different countries also attended the meeting to have an official photograph with the US President one by one. Due to COVID restrictions, they were also unable to meet US President Joe Biden.

As per the traditions of the US government, following the appointment of a new ambassador to Washington, a ceremony is held at the White House where the new envoy presents their credentials which also conforms to their appointment.

NDU delegation’s visit to Washington DC

While addressing the delegation of the National Defense University (NDU) of Pakistan in Washington, Masood Khan said that Pakistan and the US were engaged on a broad-based agenda to strengthen their relationship in all spheres, including defence cooperation.

“While promoting military-to-military and security cooperation, equal importance is being given to expanding ties in the trade, investment, climate, health, energy and education sectors,” he said.

“There is immense connectivity between Pakistan and United States spanning 75 years, our shared objective is to maximize its full potential,” added Ambassador Masood Khan.

According to the statement issued by the Pakistan embassy in the US, Ambassador Masood Khan also highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and said both countries will continue to work on the shared objectives of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and averting a humanitarian crisis in the country.

Masood Khan said that Pakistan and US are also working on providing a solid base to the bilateral relationship by tapping the immense potential in the economic, trade, Defense, education, IT, climate change, energy and cultural fields.

The Ambassador added that “The longstanding Pakistan-US relations are cemented by the dynamic Pakistani American diaspora, would be further strengthened by investment in the tech, agriculture and health sectors.”

Pakistan’s envoy also stressed proactive diplomacy to solve the Ukraine crisis and said: “a collective response is required on the purposes and principles of United Nations Charter.”

Masood Khan's profile

Masood Khan was appointed as the 27th president of Azad Kashmir by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2016. He was replaced by PTI’s Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary following the AJK elections in August 2021.

He is a career diplomat who has served the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in different capacities since 1980, before elevation as the AJK president.

A vocal and strong advocate of Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan, Masood effectively highlighted the sufferings of the oppressed Kashmiris that warrant an effective strategy to end the never-ending holocaust.

The former AJK president also served as the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from August 2003 to March 2005, before becoming Pakistan’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and International Organisations in Geneva, Switzerland, from 2005 to 2008.

He was also Pakistan’s Ambassador to China between September 2008 and September 2012 and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York, between October 11, 2012 and February 7, 2015.