US President Joe Biden has dashed off a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressing continuous support and highlighted that the ties between the two nations are critical for bilateral and regional peace and security. This was the US President’s first official communication with a Pakistani premier during his tenure.

Biden’s first official communication to Pak PM

Ever since assuming the office in January 2021, Biden neither rang up former prime minister Imran Khan after his election victory nor spoke to Sharif when he succeeded Khan in April 2022, news agency PTI reported citing The Express Tribune on Friday.

Sharif took oath as the country’s prime minister for a second time earlier this month after a controversial election that his rival Imran Khan dubbed as “rigged.”

Khan had openly accused the United States of orchestrating his downfall after he was removed through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022.

Though more than 90 independent candidates backed by the PTI won the maximum number of seats in the National Assembly, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto struck a post-poll deal and formed a coalition government in the country.

Shehbaz Sharif became the prime minister while PPP’s co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari became the President, both for second term, as part of the quid-pro-quo deal.

What did Biden write in the letter?

“The enduring partnership between our nations remains critical to ensuring the security of our people — and people around the world —and the United States will continue to stand with Pakistan to tackle the most pressing global and regional challenges of our time,” according to the contents of Biden’s letter shared by the US Embassy.

Biden listed out the support and said that it includes advancing “our shared vision for a future of greater health, security, economic growth, and access to education for all.”

He wrote that the US remains “committed to working with Pakistan to protect human rights and promote progress.”

“Together, we will continue to forge a strong partnership between our nations and a close bond between our people,” the letter concluded.

The United States will head into the Presidential polls in November this year.

(With PTI inputs)

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