ISLAMABAD: Pakistan thanked the United States on Thursday for congratulating Shehbaz Sharif on his election as the prime minister and reiterated the desire of further deepening the broad-based and mutually-beneficial relationship.

“We thank the United States for the message of felicitations on election of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan and the US have had a long-standing, broad-based and mutually-beneficial relationship that we look forward to further deepen and solidify. This is important for peace and development in the region and beyond,” Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said in a statement.

The statement comes following US Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated the newly-elected prime minister.

US values long-standing cooperation with Pakistan: White House

“Pakistan has been an important partner on wide-ranging mutual interests for nearly 75 years and we value our relationship. The United States congratulates newly elected Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and we look forward to continuing our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan’s government,” Secretary Blinken said in a statement on Wednesday.

Blinken further stated that the United States views a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan as essential for the interests of both of our countries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022