File photo, courtesy White House
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, U.S. President Joe Biden has emphasized the importance of the partnership between Islamabad and Washington to ensure the security of people globally, and vowed that the U.S. will “continue to stand with Pakistan” in tackling global and regional issues.
This is the first diplomatic communication between the U.S. president and a Pakistani leader since his election in 2020 and occurs after years of strained ties worsened by the “cipher” conspiracy allegations levelled by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
“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,” read the letter sent by Biden to Sharif.
“That includes advancing our shared vision for a future of greater health security, economic growth, and access to education for all. Through our U.S.-Pakistan ‘Green Alliance’ framework, we will also continue to strengthen our climate resilience, support sustainable agriculture and water management, and assist with Pakistan’s recovery from the devastating floods in 2022,” he continued.
Biden also noted that the U.S. remained 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 close bond between our people,” he added.
Since the ouster of the PTI-led government and the PDM-led government’s assumption of power, authorities have made concerted efforts to improve ties with the U.S. This is considered especially vital by observers because the U.S. commands significant influence over the International Monetary Fund (IMF), from which Pakistan needs to secure another bailout in the coming months to improve its economic situation.