US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday congratulated Pakistan’snew Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who took office after the ouster ofImran Khan.
In a statement, the top diplomat hailed Pakistan as “an important partneron wide-ranging mutual interests for nearly 75 years” and said the USvalues their relationship.
“The United States congratulates newly elected Pakistani Prime MinisterShehbaz Sharif and we look forward to continuing our long-standingcooperation with Pakistan’s government,” said Blinken.
“The United States views a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan asessential for the interests of both of our countries,” he added.
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Sharif was sworn-in on Monday after former Premier Imran Khan was ousted ina no-confidence vote that he attempted to thwart. The younger brother ofthree-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and a joint candidate of thecombined opposition secured 174 votes in Pakistan’s 342-member lowerlegislative chamber, the National Assembly.
Khan maintained that he was the victim of a US plot that sought his removal.
