ISLAMABAD: Donald Blome, the recently appointed US Ambassador to Pakistan, started his duties on Monday, marking the first full-time ambassador to serve in Islamabad in nearly four years.
“Ambassador Blome will lead the United States Mission in Pakistan in its ongoing efforts to strengthen ties between the Pakistani and American peoples and to work with the Pakistani government toward a more stable, secure, and prosperous future for Pakistan,” the US Embassy said in a statement.
Ambassador Blome, according to the statement, offers a breadth of experience and expertise to this joint effort as well as the US Mission in Pakistan.
“I am happy to be in Pakistan,” Ambassador Blome declared upon his arrival. I’m excited to go across this lovely country and learn about its people and culture. Most significantly, in this 75th year of US-Pakistan relations, I will continue to strengthen our mutually beneficial alliance.”
Ambassador Blome, a career diplomat, was finally approved as envoy to Islamabad by the US Senate on March 3.
Following Ambassador Blome’s confirmation by the US Senate, the US State Department said in a statement that cooperation with Pakistan was critical for progress on regional security, trade, investment, the climate catastrophe, and human rights.
Blome will be Pakistan’s first full-time ambassador since American envoy David Hale left home in August 2018.
Despite enhanced ties between the two nations as a result of Trump’s personal friendship with Imran and close cooperation on the Afghan endgame, the Trump administration did not nominate a full-time ambassador to Islamabad.
Blome’s nomination as top US ambassador to Pakistan comes at a critical time in the two countries’ tumultuous relationship.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited New York last week and spoke with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken for an hour.
Bilawal’s visit was deemed “successful” since it may result in the resumption of high-level communication between Pakistan and the US. Despite Pakistan’s essential role in the Afghan endgame, President Joe Biden has utterly disregarded former Prime Minister Imran Khan, never calling him.
However, diplomatic sources suggest that after Bilawal’s visit, President Biden would meet with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It is, however, contingent on Pakistan’s current political environment and if the coalition government remains in power for a long time.
