Pakistan

US wants to work with new Pakistan government on regional, international issues

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

US views Pakistan as an important stakeholder and important partner, says Ned Price.
We look forward to working closely with Shehbaz Sharif government, he says.
US has already congratulated new Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, says Ned Price.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Tuesday said the United States wants to work closely with the new government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on regional and international issues.

The latest statement by the US government is of utmost important as ex-prime minister Imran Khan had repeatedly blamed the US for backing the joint Opposition to oust him from power through a no-trust motion.

Imran Khan was of the view that the US government supported the government change in Pakistan and to prove his point of view, Khan had also highlighted a letter and claimed that the US government threatened Pakistan of dire consequences if he remains in power.

However, after a series of events, eventually on April 10, Imran Khan was ousted as the prime minister of Pakistan from office through a no-confidence motion after the National Assembly debated on the matter for more than 12 hours and the political situation in the country took a critical turn.

Shehbaz Sharif then took oath as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan after he being elected by the joint Opposition.

Today, during a regular press briefing, the US State Department spokesperson termed Pakistan an important partner of the US government.

“We view Pakistan as an important stakeholder and important partner with whom we are engaging and have engaged as we work together to bring about an Afghanistan that is more stable, is more secure, is more prosperous, and importantly an Afghanistan that respects the basic and fundamental rights of its people, all of its people, including its minorities, its women, its girls,” he said.

Price also appreciated the US relationship with Pakistan and vowed to continue working with the new government.

“For almost 75 years, our relationship with Pakistan has been a vital one and we look forward to continuing that work with the new government in Pakistan across regional and international issues,” he said.

“This is work that has a potential to promote peace and prosperity in Pakistan and throughout the region,” he added.

Price went on to say, “we have already congratulated the new Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on his election, adding, “We look forward to working closely with his government.”

US Secretary of State congratulates PM Shehbaz Sharif

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had congratulated Shahbaz Sharif on becoming the new Prime Minister of Pakistan and vowed to continue cooperation with his new government.

“Pakistan has been an important partner on wide-ranging mutual interests for nearly 75 years and we value our relationship. The United States congratulates newly-elected Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and we look forward to continuing our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan’s government,” a statement from the US State Department read.

Pentagon sees continuation of military-to-military ties with Pakistan

After Shehbaz Sharif’s election as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, the US Department of Defense also issued a statement and hoped to continue its “healthy” military-to-military ties with Pakistan despite the change in the government.

“We do have a healthy military-to-military relationship with Pakistani armed forces. And we have every expectation that that will be able to continue to be the case,” Pentagon Press Secretary John F Kirby had said.

The Pentagon official said the US recognises that it has shared interests with Pakistan with respect to security and stability. “We recognise that Pakistan plays a key role in the region.”

Ruling out any US military role in Pakistan, he said that America recognises that Pakistan and its people are, themselves, victims of terrorist attacks “inside their own country”.

“I don’t foresee any US military role here. And I’m certainly not going to, again, wade into internal domestic politics in Pakistan,” he told a journalist at the press briefing.

Latest News

The IHC upholds Bushra Bibi’s request to be transferred from Bani Gala to Adiala Jail.

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Bushra Bibi’s request to be transferred from Bani Gala to Adiala Jail was granted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday.

The former first lady Bushra Bibi’s application to be transferred from Bani Gala sub-jail to Adiala was heard today.

Details reveal that the Islamabad High Court heard a motion to restore the denied petition about the relocation of Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI founder, from sub-jail Bani Gala to Adiala.

The application for the reinstatement of appeal was heard by Justice Miagul Hassan Aurangzeb. When state attorney Abdul Rehman entered the courtroom on behalf of the state, Usman Riaz Gill represented the former first lady.

State counsel did not object to the appeal being restored during court proceedings. At the following hearing, the court asked for assistance in determining what conditions must be met for a location to be designated as a sub-jail.

The court also mandated that Bushra Bibi’s medical examination be scheduled. The court subsequently delayed the hearing and gave instructions to fix the appeal for April 22.

Recall that the attorneys for former first lady Bushra Bibi, Barrister Salman Safdar, Usman Riaz Gill, and Khalid Yusuf Chaudhary, had filed an application to restore the dismissed appeal a day ago, but the Islamabad High Court had denied their request to pursue the case.

The petition contended that the traffic gridlock at the Sarina Chowk checkpoint was the reason for the delay in getting to the court.

The attorneys did not purposefully take their time getting to court. They warned that the petitioner would suffer irreversible loss if the petition was not resurrected.

IHC Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb has voiced his displeasure at the absence of attorneys from the court.

According to Judge Aurangzeb, the former first lady would have been imprisoned if Bushra Bibi’s attorneys had prevailed in this case. The attorneys themselves were opposed to Bushra Bibi’s incarceration.

Latest News

oath-taking ceremony for the Balochistan cabinet postponed

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

The Balochistan cabinet’s oath-taking ceremony, which was supposed to take place at the Governor’s House today (Thursday), has been rescheduled.
The Governor’s House spokeswoman announced that the Balochistan cabinet’s swearing-in event has been postponed. Nevertheless, there was no explanation provided for the ceremony’s postponement.

It is important to note that the 14-member Balochistan cabinet, which consists of two members from the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and six ministers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was set to take the oath of office today, Thursday.

Latest News

PMD forecasts rain throughout the majority of the nation.

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

During the next 24 hours (Thursday–Friday), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted rain, windstorms, thunderstorms, and a few torrential downpours or hailstorms throughout the majority of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Islamabad, Punjab, and Balochistan.

In several areas of Sindh, a rain-windstorm/thunderstorm is anticipated. Much of Balochistan is being hit by a powerful westerly wave trough, which is expected to spread to the top regions by April 18.

Prolonged downpours have the potential to cause flash flooding in Balochistani local streams and drains, particularly in Gwadar, Jiwani, Pasni, Ormara, Kech, Awaran, Kharan, Panjgur, Washuk, Noshki, Lasbela, Khuzdar, and Kalat.

On April 18–20, heavy rains could cause flash floods in tributaries of the Kabul River as well as in Dir, Swat, Chitral, Kohistan, Manshera, Gilgit–Baltistan, Kashmir, and other areas.

Lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan are among the regions where landslides may occur.

At this time, standing crops, power poles, cars, solar panels, and other objects may sustain damage from wind, hail, and lightning, according to meteorologists.

Upper Sindh and Balochistan saw rain, wind, and thunderstorms in the past 24 hours. During the era, there were also significant rainfalls in South Balochistan. Wednesday’s highs of 42 degrees Celsius in Mithi kept it as the country’s hottest spot.

Officials reported that lightning-related storm-related occurrences claimed the lives of at least 65 people in Pakistan, where the rate of precipitation in April has so far been roughly twice that of previous years. Floods and house collapses were caused by heavy downpours that occurred between Friday and Monday. Lightning claimed 28 lives.

32 people, including 15 children, have killed and over 1,300 homes have been damaged in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has suffered the greatest victim count.

The meteorological experts report that there is little probability of rain, despite the fact that drizzle fell in numerous areas of Karachi.