F.P. Report
WASHINGTON : US State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel while briefing the newsmen in Washington on Thursday said that a prosperous and strong, democratic Pakistan is critical to US interests.
He said that Pakistan continues to be an important partner of the US in the region – an important trade partner, an important security partner – and we continue to engage with our Pakistani counterparts on a number of issues.
Replying to a question regarding current unrest in Pakistan, he said we are monitoring the situation in Pakistan closely, and as the US has said before, we do not have a favored candidate or a favored political party, not just in Pakistan but as it relates to any government system around the world.
He said that that a safe and secure, prosperous Pakistan is in the interest of US and we call for the respect of democratic principles and the rule of law around the world.
Replying to a question regarding shutting down social media platforms in Pakistan, he said that that the issues of human rights and press freedom were taken up with Pakistan.
Replying to yet another question, he said that we are looking to continue to strengthen economic ties between our two countries by expanding private sector trade and investment, and there’s also an important security collaboration and areas of collaboration on renewable energy, addressing the climate crisis, increasing agricultural trade, and a number of areas.
