Pakistan thanks US for congratulating new PM Shehbaz

We recognise that Pakistan and the Pakistani people are, themselves, victims of terrorist attacks inside their own country, he said.The ties between the two countries have come under strain in the wake of allegations by the former premier Imran Khan that the US was involved in a conspiracy to remove him from office.

Pakistan on Thursday thanked the US for congratulating Shehbaz Sharif on his election as the new Prime Minister and expressed desire to further deepen bilateral relations.

The Foreign Office (FO) said that good ties with the US are important for peace and development in the region and beyond.

“Pakistan and the US have had a long-standing, broad-based and mutually-beneficial relationship that we look forward to further deepen and solidify,” said the FO.

Shehbaz was elected as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan on April 11 after Imran Khan was removed through a no-confidence vote.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a statement on Wednesday, congratulated Sharif and vowed to continue its long-standing cooperation with his government.

He said that Pakistan had been an important partner on wide-ranging mutual interests for nearly 75 years and the US valued their relationship.

''The United States views a strong, prosperous and democratic Pakistan as essential for the interests of both countries,'' he said.

The Prime Minister’s Office, in its response to Blinken, reaffirmed the need for cooperation with the United States.

''The new government wishes to constructively and positively engage with the US to promote shared goals of peace, security and development in the region,'' it said on Twitter.

It also highlighted the need for deepening the relationship on the principles of equality, mutual interest and mutual benefit.

Earlier, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said that the US had a ''healthy military-to-military relationship with Pakistani armed forces,'' adding that ''we have every expectation that will be able to continue to be the case''.

''We recognise that Pakistan plays a key role in the region. We recognise that Pakistan and the Pakistani people are, themselves, victims of terrorist attacks inside their own country,'' he said.

The ties between the two countries have come under strain in the wake of allegations by the former premier Imran Khan that the US was involved in a conspiracy to remove him from office. America has denied the allegations.