US Charge d’affaires in Pakistan Angela Aggeler visited Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif at her home in Raiwind on Thursday.
In a video posted by PML-N on Twitter, Sharif could be seen greeting Aggeler outside her residence, Jati Umrah. The two sat inside and were observed having a conversation amidst several other PML-N leaders, including former prime minister Shahid Khaqqan Abbasi, and Ahsan Iqbal, Khurram Dastgir, and Marriyum Aurangzeb amongst others.
In a subsequent video posted by the party’s twitter handle, Aggeler could be seen meeting PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif.
Journalist Gharidah Farooqi said that the US high official’s visit was an interesting turn of political events. Commenting on her authority, Farooqi said that Aggeler was the deputy to the US Ambassador to Pakistan.
In other news, US Chargé d’affaires Angela Aggeler calls upon Maryam Nawaz Sharif at Jati Umrah Raiwind.
Ms Angela Aggeler holds the rank of Minister Counselor. A Chargé d’affaires acts as deputy to the Ambassador.
Interesting development in current political circumstances. pic.twitter.com/bQbLB833lI
— Gharidah Farooqi (@GFarooqi) October 14, 2021
Another journalist Moeed Pirzada added to the political commentary and said that Beijing had just tweeted praises of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s commitment to industrial cooperation. Pirzada added that the Aggeler meeting with Sharif who was a ‘convicted politician’, defied the ‘norms of western democracies. The US diplomat’s visits, said Pirzada, spoke mounds of the ‘regional power dynamics’.
Beijing tweeting to appreciate Imran Khan govt on industrial cooperation & US Diplomats calling upon Jati Umrah violating the norms of western democracies of keeping away from convicted politicians – symbolism of regional power dynamics could not be more clear! New Great Game! https://t.co/9XBTzlBe6z
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) October 14, 2021
Others also criticized the diplomat’s visit on the same grounds. Civil engineer Asfand Bakht Yar said that it was a shame that the US made the effort to meet a ‘convict’. He wondered whether the US government would allow the same to happen.
Shame on @usconsulatekhi US embassy in Pakistan meeting a convicted person in Pakistan. Will @POTUS and US govt allow the @PakinUSA to meet a convict in US? @ForeignOfficePk
#Pakistan #US https://t.co/58Etxb4Ev7— Asfand Bakht Yar 🌐 (@abyar93) October 14, 2021
A technical advisor at a think tank, Matee Dogra, said that Pakistan was yet to reap the potential of female leaders. Dogra added that Sharif should represent Pakistan on more international platforms.
PMLN has not even tapped the potential of female Pakistani leader in Int'l community yet. Enormous benefits ahead.@MaryamNSharif should engage more and more with Int'l community https://t.co/GEL7nIxhdk
— Matee Dogra (@MateeDogra) October 14, 2021
The significance of the meeting was also questioned by a journalist, Suhaib Zuberi, who wondered why US officials met with the country’s opposition government.
What a time to have a meet-up with opposition leaders. Is this normal? I wonder what’s was the agenda of the meeting. https://t.co/4pG4iKDGpd
— Suhaib Zuberi (@SuhaibZuberi) October 14, 2021
Aggeler has been active in her diplomatic activities in recent days as she met with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari at the Zardari House in Islamabad on September 24. British High Commissioner Christian Turner was also present at the meet up.
Aggeler and Bilawal discussed the regional situation in Afghanistan and mulled over a possible visit of the US official to Sindh. On Thursday, the charge d’ affaires to Pakistan, along with other officials, also took a trip to Lahore’s Wazir Khan Mosque. The group discussed possible cooperation and efforts to preserve heritage and culture in Pakistan.