Ambassador Sheikh Highlights Strategic Reset in Pakistan-US Relations at Future Security Forum 2025
By Elaine Pasquini
Washington, DC: Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, stressed his commitment to diplomatic solutions and pragmatic economic policies, along with the significance of indispensable Pakistan-US relations, during a panel discussion at the Future Security Forum 2025 in Washington, DC on October 22.
“Between the two mega countries of today and tomorrow - from both a present and a futuristic perspective - good relations are not a matter of choice or preference; they are indispensable,” stated Ambassador Sheikh.
Highlighting the depth and continuity of the bilateral partnership, he noted that Pakistan and the United States share a longstanding and consequential relationship, marked by collaboration on critical global challenges including counterterrorism and climate change.
The 11th Annual Future Security Forum was organized by Arizona State University and New America in collaboration with Security & Defence PLuS. The event brought together senior policymakers, defense experts, and thought leaders for discussions on emerging global security dynamics.
Addressing a wide range of issues including climate change, India-Pakistan relations, the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), China-Pakistan relations, the Ukraine conflict, and regional tensions with Afghanistan, Ambassador Sheikh reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to diplomacy, stability, and pragmatic policymaking.
He spoke at length about Pakistan’s climate resilience and self-reliance. He said that climate change was not an abstract concept for Pakistan but an existential crisis. He recounted the country’s repeated cycles of devastating floods, describing new phenomena such as cloudbursts that have destroyed infrastructure, reversed economic gains, and disrupted development programs.
The ambassador emphasized that Pakistan’s diplomacy today was deeply intertwined with climate policy and economic security, noting that “what we build every few years is washed away by floods, but we still must pay back what we borrowed to rebuild.”
Reiterating Pakistan’s principled stance on IIOJK, Ambassador Sheikh called for international mediation to help the Kashmiri people realize their right to self-determination in line with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, emphasizing that peace in South Asia remains contingent upon resolution of this longstanding dispute.
Rejecting “camp politics,” he said Pakistan’s foreign policy seeks balanced relations. His country’s ties with Beijing are rooted in historical continuity and economic cooperation, he added.
“There is no binary choice for us,” the ambassador stated. “Our relationship with China didn’t start yesterday, and it is not ending tomorrow,” adding that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) should be viewed through an economic lens as a facilitator of regional connectivity and prosperity.
He recalled Pakistan’s pivotal role in fostering rapprochement between the United States and China decades ago and expressed readiness to play a similar role today as an economic bridge for global peace and progress.
Condemning cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan, Ambassador Sheikh stated that Pakistan has endured immense suffering from terrorism and will address it resolutely. However, he reaffirmed that diplomacy remained Pakistan’s preferred approach to resolving bilateral issues with both Afghanistan and India.
“Diplomacy is our preference,” he averred. “Pakistan’s history shows we have always stood for diplomatic solutions.”
On the issue of Afghan refugees, Ambassador Sheikh clarified that only undocumented or illegal residents were being repatriated, and that Pakistan wanted to ensure their return in a dignified manner. Movement across Pakistan’s 1,640-mile shared border with Afghanistan should be visa-based, he stated, pursuant to international practice.
Regarding the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the ambassador acknowledged and welcomed peace efforts led by the United States under President Donald J Trump’s leadership, expressing hope for their success.
In conclusion, Ambassador Sheikh thanked the organizers of the Forum and engaged with the audience in a constructive question-and-answer session, emphasizing Pakistan’s enduring commitment to global peace, dialogue, and mutual respect in international relations.
(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)
