Washington (TDI): Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh has briefed students from the University of Hartford on Pakistan’s diplomatic priorities, peacebuilding efforts and its approach to conflict resolution during an interactive session at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington.
The visiting delegation comprised students enrolled in the university’s Master of Arts in International Peacebuilding program and was led by program Director Phoebe Milliken and Assistant Director Hina Athar Khan.
According to the Pakistani embassy, the international student group included participants from Albania, Ghana, Indonesia, Lebanon and the United States. Their professional backgrounds included UN peacekeeping, interfaith harmony, public policy, community development and nonprofit leadership.
Welcoming the students, Ambassador Sheikh outlined Pakistan’s longstanding emphasis on dialogue and conflict resolution, describing peace as a recurring theme in the country’s diplomatic engagement.
“Peace is something that is of interest to us,” Sheikh said, linking Pakistan’s approach to peace with what he described as the country’s historical experience and identity.
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The ambassador also discussed Pakistan’s diplomatic history and its engagement in efforts to facilitate dialogue between major powers.
He recalled Pakistan’s role in facilitating contacts between the United States and China in the early 1970s, describing the effort as a contribution to international peace and diplomacy.
“When we brought the two top economies of today, the US and China, together in 1971, we made a sterling contribution to global peace,” Sheikh said.
The discussion also covered Pakistan’s current diplomatic engagement with the United States and the importance Islamabad attaches to the bilateral relationship.
Sheikh highlighted what he described as the significance of further strengthening the Pakistan-US partnership, noting that diplomatic relations between the two countries have continued for nearly eight decades.
The ambassador also briefed the students on Pakistan’s recent efforts to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran amid heightened regional tensions.
He referred to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as a framework for continued diplomatic engagement and said Pakistan remained involved in facilitating communication between the two sides.
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Sheikh emphasized the value of what he described as quiet, sustained and effective diplomacy in addressing complex international conflicts.
“Our consistent quest for peace has dictated our diplomatic effort, as evidenced by our role in peace-making, peace-keeping, and peace-building for almost eight decades now,” he said.
He added that Pakistan’s approach to its current diplomatic efforts was informed by both its historical experience and what he described as a sense of responsibility as a mediator.
The interaction provided the international peacebuilding students an opportunity to discuss Pakistan’s diplomatic experience and its engagement in regional and international conflict-resolution efforts directly with the country’s ambassador.
The session also underscored the role of academic exchanges in connecting emerging peacebuilding professionals with diplomatic institutions and practitioners involved in international affairs.
