Pakistan turns down US' invitation to take part in Summit for Democracy

Islamabad [Pakistan], December 8 : Pakistan, China's all-weather ally, on Wednesday turned down US' invitation to take part in the Summit for Democracy, a virtual event set to take place on December 9-10, reported local media citing the country's Foreign Office.
The US has extended invitations to more than a hundred countries for the summit but China and some other countries are not included in the list.
Pakistan thanked the US for the invitation but said that it would engage with the country on a wide range of issues "at an opportune time in the future", Geo News quoted the country's Foreign Office as saying in a statement.
Stating that Islamabad remains deeply committed to further deepening democracy, Pakistan's Foreign Office said that the country has instituted wide-ranging reforms to fight corruption, protect and promote the human rights of all citizens.
The virtual US Democracy Summit is going to bring together over 100 governments representing diverse democratic experiences from around the world, as well as leading activists, journalists, private sector leaders, and other members of civil society, the US State Department said on Tuesday.
"The summit aims to provide leaders a forum to engage, listen, and speak honestly about the challenges and opportunities facing democratic governments and about how democracies can deliver for their citizens," the State Department said.
Washington will announce new initiatives and commitments at the summit in areas such as bolstering free and independent media, fighting corruption, defending free and fair elections, strengthening democratic reforms, and harnessing technology for democratic renewal.