WASHINGTON (AA) – The US on Monday voiced its support for Pakistan’s”peaceful upholding of constitutional democratic principles” after thecountry’s new prime minister took the oath of office.
Shehbaz Sharif was sworn-in on Monday after former Premier Imran Khan wasousted in a no-confidence vote he attempted to thwart. Khan had maintainedhe was the victim of a US plot that sought his removal.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki continued to maintain, however, thatWashington does not “support one political party over another.”
“We value our long standing cooperation with Pakistan, have always viewed aprosperous and democratic Pakistan as critical to US interests,” she said.”That remains unchanged regardless of who leadership is.”
Sharif, the younger brother of three-time former Prime Minister NawazSharif, and a joint candidate of the combined opposition, secured 174 votesin Pakistan’s 342-member lower legislative chamber, the National Assembly.
A minimum of 172 votes were required for a simple majority in theparliament.
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Sharif’s opponent, former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who wasthe candidate of the ousted premier’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party,boycotted the elections following his party’s decision to resign from theparliament.
Sharif has called for improving ties with the US, terming them “critical”for Pakistan, a noticeable departure from Khan’s frosty relations withWashington.
Khan, for his part, has announced that he would not accept the “importedgovernment,” calling on his supporters to protest against the new regime.Tens of thousands of his supporters took to the streets on Sunday nightacross the country to protest against Khan’s ouster, terming it a “foreignconspiracy.”
