At a news briefing in Washington, the department’s spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said that the US wants to strengthen its partnership with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistani government.
“We value our longstanding partnership with Pakistan and have always viewed a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan as critical to United States-Pakistan interests, and our engagement with new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his government will continue to focus on advancing these shared interests,” he noted.
Replying to a question regarding Maryam Nawaz’s election as CM Punjab, Matthew Miller said that her selection as chief minister is a milestone in Pakistani politics.
“We look forward to cooperating with Pakistan more broadly on integrating women more fully into the country’s political life, and economy, including through the US-Pakistan Women’s Council, civil society, and other decision-making spaces.”
“An inclusive Pakistan makes for a strong, prosperous country which all Pakistanis benefit from, and so we are always pleased when we see cracks in the glass ceiling anywhere in the world,” Matthew Miller said.