New US ambassador set for ’challenging’ diplomatic assignment

The US will have a full-time ambassador to Pakistan for the first time in nearly four years as Doland Armin Blome is set to arrive in Islamabad later this month to take charge of – what many observers believe – his “challenging” diplomatic assignment.

On March 3, the US Senate finally approved Ambassador Blome, a career diplomat, as envoy to Islamabad. He is expected to arrive in Islamabad on May 23 to take charge of his new position. The US State Department, following the approval of Ambassador Blome, said in a statement that the partnership with Pakistan was a “key to progress on regional security, trade, investment, the climate crisis and human rights”.

Blome will be the first full-time ambassador to Pakistan since August 2018 when American envoy David Hale returned home after completing his term.

After that, former US president Donald Trump’s administration did not appoint a full-time envoy to Islamabad. This happened despite ties between the two countries improving thanks to the personal bonhomie between Trump and former premier Imran Khan and close cooperation between the two countries on the Afghan endgame. The appointment of Blome as US ambassador to Pakistan comes at a time when the two sides are seeking a reset in their troubled relationship.

The US exit from Afghanistan has raised serious questions about the future of ties between the two countries as one of the top American diplomats said Washington did not see itself building a broad-based relationship with Islamabad.

Despite efforts by the former PTI government seeking broad-based ties with Washington, US President Joe Biden’s administration never responded positively.

One of the reasons was that the US was unhappy with former PM Imran’s critical statements on Washington’s Afghan policy. Therefore, Biden never telephoned Imran. What further deepened tensions was the controversy surrounding the diplomatic cable, which Imran presented as evidence of the US plot against his government.

Imran said the US punished him for pursuing an “independent foreign policy” particularly on the Russiaukraine conflict. The US wanted Pakistan to take a clear stance against Russia and even advised Islamabad not to go ahead with the prime minister’s visit to Moscow.

Now with the Pti-led government sent packing and a new regime in place, the appointment of a new US ambassador is seen as significant.

The absence of a full-time ambassador was seen as an effort by the US to downgrade ties with Pakistan considered crucial for Afghanistan and overall regional security. The appointment of Blome as ambassador may have suggested a shift but ties between the two countries are facing multiple challenges. The latest challenge is the Russia-ukraine crisis that puts Pakistan and the US at odds with each other. There have been dozens of statements issued by both sides since the change of government in Pakistan, expressing desires to improve their relationship.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-zardari is set to undertake a visit to the US this week to attend the food security conference. He will meet US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.