Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday underscored that Pakistan valued its long-standing relationship with the United States and wanted to further deepen bilateral cooperation based on mutual respect, trust, and equality.

He highlighted that constructive engagement between the two countries could help promote peace, security and development in the region. The prime minister was talking to United States House of Representatives Ilhan Omar who called on him.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest including Pakistan-US bilateral relations as well as regional situation were discussed.

Maintaining that the US was Pakistan’s largest trading partner, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to further enhance cooperation between the two countries especially in the trade and investment fields.

He lauded the efforts of Pakistani Diaspora in reinforcing the Pakistan-US ties and added that Pakistan deeply valued their contribution to national development and growth.

The Prime Minister highlighted the serious human rights situation in IIOJK and stressed the importance of peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, enabling the region to realize its economic potential and promote social progress. He emphasized that a peaceful and stable South Asian region can focus on its growth and development.

The Prime Minister emphasized that concerted efforts, at the global level, were needed to deal with the scourge of Islamophobia. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar thanked the Prime Minister and hoped that her visit to Pakistan would help strengthen ties between Pakistan and the US Congress.

Appreciating her courage of convictions and her political struggle, the Prime Minister warmly welcomed her on her first-ever visit to Pakistan. The Prime Minister hoped that it would lead to deepen people-to-people ties and strengthen exchanges between the Parliament of Pakistan and the US Congress. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is visiting Pakistan from 20-24 April. Apart from having meetings with leadership in Islamabad, she will visit Lahore and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to have greater understanding of Pakistan’s cultural, social, political, and economic potential.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of enhanced trade and investment ties with the United Kingdom and stressed the need for elevating the relationship to a strategic level. The prime minister expressed these views while talking to British High Commissioner Dr. Christian Turner, who called him here this morning. The High Commissioner congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on assuming the office of the prime minister and conveyed the best wishes of the British government.

The prime minister expressed his gratitude to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his congratulatory tweet.

The prime minister added that Pakistan highly valued its relations with the UK, which were based on historical linkages and convergent interests on a broad range of issues.

Highlighting the positive bridge-building role played by around 1.6 million Pakistani diaspora residing in the UK, the prime minister emphasized the need of strengthening cooperation in the field of legal migration to fully realize the potential.

The prime minister also appreciated the work undertaken by the UK in promoting education, health and other social sectors in Pakistan.

The British High Commissioner thanked the prime minister and expressed the desire to work closely with Pakistan on deepening and broadening bilateral cooperation.

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of deepening bilateral economic engagement with Bahrain and exploring the potential in trade, investment, IT, manpower, and food security sectors.

The prime minister expressed these views in a meeting with Ambassador of Bahrain Mohammed Ebraheem Mohammed. Shehbaz appreciated the efforts of the government of Bahrain in looking after the Pakistani community during the testing times of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also welcomed the project of King Hamad Nursing University and Associated Medical Sciences Hospital in Islamabad, as a testament to the close brotherly relationship between the two countries. The ambassador conveyed the message of felicitations from the Bahraini leadership to Shehbaz Sharif on his assumption of the office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

He recalled the long-standing and fraternal ties between the two countries and underlined Bahrain’s desire to further deepen and broaden bilateral relations with Pakistan.

The prime minister thanked the ambassador for the messages of felicitations from the Bahraini leadership. He underscored the importance Pakistan attached to its relationship with Bahrain and reiterated his resolve to work towards further expansion of mutual cooperation in diverse fields. Bahrain is home to a large Pakistani diaspora in the Gulf Region. Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy close, cordial ties resting on the firm foundation of shared faith and values. The two countries closely collaborate bilaterally, as well as on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Pakistan and Bahrain celebrated 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations in 2021.