Ready to engage with US for world peace, security: Shahbaz

ISLAMABAD: Giving a “positive” response to a leter of US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Islamabad atached great importance to its ties with Washington.

“Pakistan desires to work with the US for the achievement of shared goals of global peace and stability as well as regional progress and prosperity,” the premier said in his leter to the US president on Sunday.

Shahbaz also stated that both countries had been working together on various significant initiatives in energy, climate change, agriculture, health and education sectors.

Shahbaz expressed satisfaction with the collaboration between the two nations in the energy sector and their commitment to the Green Alliance framework. Earlier, the US president had addressed a leter to the prime minister in which he extended felicitation to the new government. President Biden further emphasised upon the “enduring partnership” between the US and Pakistan.

Biden’s leter to Shahbaz was a gesture not extended to his predecessor, Imran Khan, said a report. However, experts pointed out that Biden did not congratulate Sharif for assuming power or winning the election.

“What distinguishes this anodyne message to the Pakistani leadership is the absence of any reference to the elections that Assistant Secretary Donald Lu testified recently could not be characterised as free and fair,” said Shuja Nawaz, who is associated with the South Asia Centre at the Atlantic Council, Washington.

“What should the people of Pakistan expect from the US president on that issue?” Nawaz asked, adding, “This may further estrange the diaspora Pakistanis who expect the US to support a visible and verifiable review of those election results that reek of manipulation ater polling.”

According to Nawaz, this leter must be seen in the context of the reality of US aid requested for Pakistan in recent years, which has been gradually reducing. In fiscal 2022, it was $218 million, which reduced to $136m in fiscal 2024 and may further decrease in 2025.