Official pictures show SAPM Fatemi, Pakistani Ambassador Masood Khan meet senior US official in Washington.
ISLAMABAD - Controversy emerged on the private meetings held by Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi with senior US Assistant Secretary Of State Wendy Sherman in Washington when foreign office disowned his visit and said: “Fatemi is on a private visit to Washington and foreign office did not play any role in his meeting with US officials”.
Official pictures and story of Tariq Fatemi meetings in Washington were released by the Pakistan embassy in Washington. In pictures Fatemi is accompanied by Pakistani Ambassador Masood Khan and other Pakistani diplomats.
Diplomatic sources also confirmed that Tariq Fatemi is not holding SAPM on foreign affairs; rather he is SAPM only without portfolio.
His portfolio of foreign affairs was taken away only a day after his appointment in April this year, over his key role in the infamous dawn leaks scandal which rocked the PML-N 2013-18 governments.
Fatemi is in Washington on a private visit, since last week, however, he asked the Pakistan embassy in Washington to arrange his meetings with US officials and meetings were arranged and held.
Foreign Office Spokesman Asim Iftikhar is on record saying that Fatemi is on a private visit and his meetings were not arranged by foreign office in Islamabad.
In Washington Tariq Fatemi accompanied by Pakistan Ambassador Masood Khan and other officials of the Pakistan embassy held a meeting with US assistant secretary of state Wendy Sherman.
An official statement by the Pakistan embassy in Washington shared details of his meetings, quoting Wendy Sherman as saying that Pakistan is an important player in promoting regional peace security and taking bilateral relationships in a substantive manner. Fatemi also briefed Wendy Sherman about the situation in Afghanistan and IIOJK.
He called upon the international community to urge India to stop its repressive policies and create conditions conducive for a meaningful and result oriented dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues with Pakistan, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Fatemi is scheduled to deliver lectures and will hold meetings with US congressmen.
