Islamabad: Donald Blome, the newly-appointed US ambassador to Pakistan, called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday. During the meeting, PM Shehbaz underscored Pakistan’s desire to develop the US-Pakistan relationship based on mutual respect, trust, and interest.
Read: Donald Blome assumes office as US ambassador to Pakistan
Recalling the depth and breadth of this relationship, the Prime Minister underscored that various dialogues established between Pakistan and US have been playing a critical role in strengthening our bilateral ties in the areas of trade, investment, IT, climate change, health, and energy.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Pakistan and the United States. PM Shehbaz Sharif hoped that both countries would celebrate this historic occasion in a befitting manner, which would further deepen bilateral and people-to-people ties.
He also stressed the need to have more exchanges at a high level between the two countries. The Prime Minister emphasized that the deepening of cooperation between Pakistan and the United States would promote peace and stability in Afghanistan and contribute to averting the humanitarian crisis in that country, which had been further aggravated by the recent earthquake.
Highlighting the rising wave of Islamophobia in India, Shehbaz Sharif condemned the sacrilegious remarks by the two BJP officials about the revered personality of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that had deeply hurt the sentiments of Muslims.
The Prime Minister also underlined that India was committing grave violations of human rights in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. While reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to the promotion of peace in the region, he stressed the importance of peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The Prime Minister called upon the international community to discharge its moral and normative obligations, while also calling upon India to adhere to the UN resolutions.
The Prime Minister congratulated the Ambassador on his presentation of credentials and expressed the hope that the Ambassador would devote his efforts to deepening and enhancing bilateral ties between the US and Pakistan.
He also conveyed his sincere good wishes to the people and Government of the United States on their 246th Independence Day.
Ambassador Blome thanked the Prime Minister for receiving him and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to further strengthen and reinforce Pakistan-US ties.
He also thanked Pakistan for its prompt and effective assistance in facilitating the evacuation from Afghanistan.
