US vows to work with new Pak govt for peace, prosperity

WASHINGTON: The State Department has called the US relationship with Pakistan as a vital one while vowing to continue working with the new government in Islamabad to promote peace and prosperity in the region.

"For almost seventy-five years, our relationship with Pakistan has been a vital one," the State Department spokesperson on Monday said, "we look forward to continuing that work with the new government in Pakistan across regional and international issues - this is work that has a potential to promote peace, prosperity in Pakistan and throughout the region."

Briefing reporters, the spokesperson said that the department has already congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on his elections and it looks forward to working with his government. 

Responding to a question about the situation in Afghanistan, the State Department spokesperson said that Pakistan is viewed as an important stakeholder and an important partner with whom "we are engaging and have engaged as we work together to bring about an Afghanistan that is more stable, is more secure, is more prosperous and importantly an Afghanistan that respects the basic and fundamental rights of its people - all of its people including its minorities, its women, its girls." 

He also said that the State Department was aware of the reports about Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan but did not offer any comment.