U.S. President assures Pakistan PM Shehbaz of continuous support

U.S. President Joe Biden has dashed off a letter to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif expressing continuous support and highlighted that the ties between the two nations are critical for bilateral and regional peace and security

Marking the first official communication with a Pakistani Premier during his tenure, U.S. President Joe Biden has dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressing continuous support and highlighted that the ties between the two nations are critical for bilateral and regional peace and security.

After assuming office in January 2021, Mr. Biden neither telephoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan after his election victory nor spoke to Mr. Sharif when he succeeded Mr. Khan in April 2022, The Express Tribune said on Friday.

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Mr. Sharif took oath as the country’s Prime Minister for a second time earlier this month after a controversial election that his rival and former Prime Minister Imran Khan dubbed as “rigged.” Mr. Khan, who is the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, had also openly accused the U.S. of orchestrating his downfall after he was removed through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022.

According to the contents of Mr. Biden’s letter, shared by the U.S. Embassy here, “The enduring partnership between our nations remains critical to ensuring the security of our people and the United States will continue to stand with Pakistan to tackle the most pressing global and regional challenges of our time.”

Mr. Biden added that through the U.S.-Pakistan Green Alliance framework, the two nations would continue strengthening their climate resilience, supporting sustainable agriculture and water management and advancing Pakistan’s recovery from the devastating floods of 2022.

He wrote that the United States remains “committed to working with Pakistan to protect human rights and promote progress.” “Together, we will continue to forge a strong partnership between our nations and a close bond between our people,” the letter concluded.