Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his country’s desire to advance bilateral relations with the Biden administration while congratulating the US government and people on their Independence Day on July 4.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted on Monday saying: “It is my pleasure to extend heartiest felicitations & greetings to the people & government of the United States on their Independence Day. My govt looks forward to engaging with the Biden Administration at all levels to promote our bilateral relations including trade & investment.”

The US began improving its relations with Pakistan after the Shehbaz government was put in place in April of this year. These relations had reached a low point during the final days of former prime minister Imran Khan’s administration, who repeatedly accused the US of orchestrating regime change in Pakistan.

The United States noted that it had a “vital relationship” with Pakistan for almost 75 years not long after the PML-N coalition government assumed power. The US State Department expressed a desire to “work closely” with the new administration to further solidify these ties in its briefing.

Ned Price, a spokesperson for the State Department, discussed the US-Pakistan relationship during a press conference in April. He stated that “for almost 75 years our relationship with Pakistan has been a vital one” and that the US wants to maintain this strong partnership.

“We look forward to continuing that work with the new government in Pakistan across regional and international issues,” he said adding “This is work that has the potential to promote peace and prosperity in Pakistan and throughout the region.”

With a series of meetings between their foreign policy directors in New York in May, Pakistan and the United States have picked up their efforts to mend their bilateral relations.

Additionally, the US-initiated UN meeting on food security was attended by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who also traveled to New York for a private meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

For the May 18 ministerial meeting on the “Global Food Security Call to Action,” Mr. Blinken had invited Mr. Bhutto-Zardari.