US Ambassador Donald Blome met with interim PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Friday and reiterated the support for free and fair elections in Pakistan as the country is expected to hold polls this year.

“We are committed to having good relations with Pakistan,” Blome said who called on the caretaker prime minister in Islamabad. “Green alliance with Pakistan is for better future.”

The meeting comes a day after the US envoy called on Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja where he reaffirmed that Pakistan’s leaders were the people’s choice and underscored commitment to enhancing US-Pakistan ties regardless of the chosen leadership.

Kakar reaffirmed the government’s desire to further strengthen bilateral cooperation with the US in key areas including trade and investment, energy, security, and climate change.

Ambassador Blome congratulated the prime minister on assuming office and reaffirmed the US desire to support Pakistan’s economic and development agenda.

The prime minister said that Pakistan and the US enjoyed longstanding and broad-based relations, rooted in mutual respect, common interests and shared values.

The prime minister emphasised that the caretaker government’s main responsibility was to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan in the electoral process and provide constitutional continuity during the period of democratic transition.

He expressed satisfaction over the current positive trajectory of bilateral ties appreciated the US’ role in helping Pakistan to stabilise its economy and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to continue the reform agenda for achieving sustainable growth.

Noting the role that the US private sector has traditionally played in supporting Pakistan’s economic growth, he hoped that that more US companies would explore the investment opportunities, particularly to tap the vast potential for investment in Pakistan’s information technology sector.

Lauding the contributions of the Pakistani-American community towards strengthening ties between the two countries, the prime minister called for increasing people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

(With input from APP)