The United States has regretted Pakistan not participating in the Democracy Summit.
US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a press briefing that there is a deep security partnership with Pakistan on democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, and religion.
He added that Pakistan had the right to decide about the summit. The US regretted Pakistan’s non-participation in the Democracy Summit but will continue to work with Pakistan.
“The United States and Pakistan have worked together on many issues,” Patel asserted.
Vedant Patel responded to a question about US ties with Pakistan and India by saying that the US values its integral relationships with its both allies and that these relationships stand on their own and are not mutually exclusive.
Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan decided to forego the second “Summit for Democracy” being held by US President Joe Biden this week after lengthy internal discussions.
Pakistan was also invited to the three-day conference that President Biden organized in 2021 but declined because of worries about China.
The US invited more than 100 countries this year, including Taiwan, but once again left out China.
The Foreign Office sent a statement explaining its reasons for not attending the conference just hours before it was scheduled to begin.
According to the statement, Pakistan was not a part of the summit process, which started in 2021 and called on nations to make specific national commitments.
