Washington, D.C. July 01, 2024, The Europe Today: On Sunday, Masood Khan, the outgoing Pakistani envoy to the United States, emphasized the need for continued efforts to strengthen the bilateral relations between Pakistan and the United States. This call comes as Pakistan announced the appointment of Additional Foreign Secretary for the Middle East, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, as the new ambassador to the US, effective June 28.
At a farewell dinner held in honor of Ambassador Khan’s services, United States Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Horst commended his efforts in fostering strong ties between Islamabad and Washington. “On behalf of the State Department, I just want to note that the US-Pakistan relationship is in the best place it’s been in years, in large part due to what Ambassador Masood Khan has done to represent Pakistan, to build bridges between Islamabad and Washington,” said Horst.
She acknowledged that, like any longstanding relationship, US-Pakistan ties have faced challenges. However, thanks to Ambassador Khan’s efforts, there is now a robust framework for addressing and overcoming such frictions.
Masood Khan was granted agrément by the US Department of State to serve as Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington in February 2022, following his nomination by then Prime Minister Imran Khan in November 2021.
In his farewell note, Ambassador Khan highlighted the progress made in Pak-US relations during his tenure, noting the nearly 77-year history of bilateral ties. He expressed gratitude for the support received from various entities, including American friends from the administration, Congress, state governments, International Financial Institutions, think-tanks, media, civil society, the private sector, and the diaspora community.
“I am indebted to the influential Pakistani-American professional organizations that have helped me, our missions, and our two nations to navigate through challenging but promising landscapes,” said Khan. He expressed confidence that his successor, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, would receive similar support.
“As I leave, I wish you all success and prosperity. Have faith in Pakistan and keep nurturing Pakistan-United States ties,” he concluded.
