He added that Pakistan’s economic relationship with the United States “has always been strong and continues to progress.”
The acting US ambassador to Pakistan, Natalie Baker. Photo: (file)
ISLAMABAD:
US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker has said that Pakistan is a sovereign nation and must protect itself from falling into the “debt trap” of any country, stressing that the country must fully implement its privatization program and complete the reform agenda of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ensure long-term economic stability.
He was speaking informally to journalists at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Sunday, where he had arrived to attend the ceremony in which President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the country’s highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Pakistan, on King Abdullah II of Jordan.
On a question about Pakistan’s close relations with China, Baker said Pakistan was “a free and sovereign country” that could maintain ties with any nation it wished, but must “carefully protect its sovereignty and economic interests.”
“Any project that leads a country into a debt trap is a cause of concern for the entire world,” he said, adding that Washington was fully aware of the delicate nature of relations between Pakistan and China.
Baker emphasized that only full compliance with the IMF’s reform program would make Pakistan’s economic strategy successful. He noted that the World Bank was also providing effective support to Pakistan.
When asked if the IMF and World Bank were being overly strict with Pakistan, he replied that the IMF wanted Pakistan to implement economic reforms that would result in “a better and sustainable economy.”
He added that Pakistan’s economic relationship with the United States “has always been strong and continues to progress.”
Baker stressed that Pakistan’s sovereignty was “extremely important” to Washington and said the United States was helping Pakistan “with a big heart.”
Responding to a question about a possible visit by President Trump, he said that once he finds time for his international commitments, he will “visit Pakistan.”
