KARACHI: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday refuted reports of him attending an event considered “anti-China” during his visit to the US, Dawn.com reported.

Responding to reporters’ queries in Houston, Mr Naqvi termed the reports “propaganda” and asserted, “Neither have I attended nor have I gone to any kind of anti-Chinese state event.”

The clarification comes after various posts on social media, as well as mainstream media reports claimed that Mr Naqvi had attended an event hosted by a lobbying group that campaigns against the Chinese Communist Party.

The minister acknowledged that he had attended an event organised by Gunster Strategies Worldwide, a public relations firm in the US, which “they connected as being anti-China”.

Says aim of visit was to develop anti-terror coordination with US politicians

“They can do as much propaganda as they want. It does not matter,” Mr Naqvi quipped, reiterating that he had not attended “any anti-China function”.

The interior minister has been on a visit to the US this week, where he participated in various events and held important meetings, according to the official APP news agency.

Terming his meetings with the US Congress members positive, he said that members of the US House of Representatives were being incited against Pakistan, Radio Pakistan reported.

“A lot of dirt was being spread about Pakistan and its government here, clearing which was necessary,” he emphasised, speaking about his interactions in the US. “Congressmen and senators here are being poisoned against Pakistan, which I would term as enmity against the country. You should do politics, it is your right, but do not go to the extent that it harms Pakistan,” he added.

His statement comes days after some US lawmakers and rights activists urged the new Congress to take a stand against the military trial of civilians, and to advocate for the reversal of anti-democratic measures allegedly targeting the PTI.

Responding to a question, Mr Naqvi said the main aim of his visit was to formulate an effective strategy against terrorism through coordination with US politicians. He said terrorism was not just Pakistan’s fight, but a common war.

During his interactions in the US, Mr Naqvi expressed the hope that Trump’s second term would bring new dimensions to bilateral relations.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2025