FM Bilawal and Secretary of State Blinken Reaffirm Desire to Further Strengthen Pak-US Ties

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a telephonic conversation on Wednesday in which they reaffirmed their "mutual desire to further strengthen bilateral ties" between the two countries by expanding cooperation in various sectors.

According to the Foreign Office (FO), Bilawal told the senior US official that he looked forward to "frequent exchange of high-level visits".

He also reiterated mutual commitment to deepen Pak-US ties upon the completion of 75 years of relations between the two countries.

Bilawal also tweeted about his conversation with Blinken.

"We agreed to expand our engagement in trade, energy, health & security marking 75 years of our relationship. We must increase people-to-people & business-to-business contacts," the foreign minister said.

Bilawal and the senior US official had their first  face-to-face meeting  in New York on May 18 where the duo had affirmed their shared desire for a strong and prosperous bilateral relationship.

“We want to focus on the work we’re doing to strengthen our economic and commercial ties between the United States and Pakistan; of course, focus on regional security,” Secretary Blinken had said.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador Donald Blome also called on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar on Wednesday and discussed "matters of mutual interest".

The FO quoted Khar as reiterating Pakistan's "commitment to widen and deepen longstanding ties between Pakistan and the US".

She also underlined the importance of people-to-people ties and congressional engagement.

Earlier, she congratulated Blome on assuming the charge as ambassador.