Biden did not interact with former Prime Minister Imran Khan after his victory during 2018 nor did he speak to Shehbaz Sharif when he took charge of the Prime Minister’s office.
US President Joe Biden, in a first letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, stressed that the “enduring partnership” between the United States and Pakistan was “critical to ensuring the security of our people — and people around the world”. The US President emphasised the sensitivity and critical nature of “pressing global and regional challenges,” assuring Islamabad that it would continue to work with it and Shehbaz Sharif-led government to counter the menace of terrorism.
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According to the US Embassy in Islamabad, the letter said: “The enduring partnership between our nations remains critical to ensuring the security of our people — and people around the world —and the United States will continue to stand with Pakistan to tackle the most pressing global and regional challenges of our time.”
“That includes advancing our shared vision for a future of greater health, security, economic growth, and access to education for all. Through our US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework, we will also continue to strengthen our climate resilience, support sustainable agriculture and water management, and assist with Pakistan’s recovery from the devastating floods in 2022. And, the US remains committed to working with Pakistan to protect human rights and promote progress,” Biden’s letter added.
Biden did not interact with former Prime Minister Imran Khan after his victory during 2018 nor did he speak to Shehbaz Sharif when he took charge of the Prime Minister’s office after removing Imran Khan through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022.
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.” Khan, who is the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, had also openly accused the US of orchestrating his downfall after he was removed through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022.
Earlier, on March 15, US Ambassador Donald Blome had said that Pakistan was considered an “important partner” and expressed hope in working with the newly elected government to continue building stronger bilateral ties. The development had come in a meeting between Blome and PM Shehbaz, their first after the latter was recently elected as the premier.
The US has faced pressure from members of the US Congress, across the political spectrum, who have asked President Joe Biden and the US secretary of state Antony Blinken to refrain from recognising the new government until probes into allegations of election rigging are thoroughly investigated.
Democrats in a joint letter were concerned about vote rigging in Pakistan’s recently concluded parliamentary elections and called for transparent and credible investigation before recognising a new Pakistani government.
(With inputs from agencies)
