US Secretary of State Blinken telephones Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a telephonic conversation with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday and exchanged views on expanding cooperation in trade, energy, health, and security sector as well as people-to-people ties.

Taking to Twitter, the foreign minister said that during their telephonic conversation, the two exchanged views to further strengthen bilateral ties.

"We must increase people-to-people and business-to-business contacts," the foreign minister added.

A separate statement published on the Ministery of Foreign Affairs' official Twitter handle noted that both leaders appreciated the US State Department's Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs, Dilawar Syed's visit to Pakistan.

The statement said that both leaders also discussed the need for continuous engagement with the Interim Afghan government to deal with the humanitarian crisis.

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Earlier on Wednesday, US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome called on Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar.

Both leaders reiterated the commitment to further deepen their bilateral ties.

The state minister also congratulated the ambassador on his appointment and assuming duties in Pakistan.