Washington: The US has urged Pakistan to "prioritize and expand economic reforms" during a meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to address the cash-strapped country, a senior State Department official said. Can solve the "economic challenges" facing the country.
US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said this information was given to Aurangzeb during a meeting with Assistant Secretary Donald L. and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Horst.
"On our part, during the meetings, we encouraged Pakistan to prioritize macroeconomic reforms to address its economic challenges," Patel said at a press conference on Thursday.
Aurangzeb is currently in the US capital to hold talks with the IM for the new bailout package and attend World Bank meetings.
Lu, a US diplomat, has been at the center of the cipher controversy that saw former Prime Minister Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in prison along with former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.Just two weeks before the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (government) is to be ousted from power through a no-confidence vote in April 2022, Khan held a piece of paper – purportedly a copy of a diplomatic cipher – at a public rally in Islamabad. waved, claiming it was evidence of a conspiracy against his government by a foreign power.
Patel said Pakistan's Finance Minister is in the US not only for a series of meetings within the US government but is also interacting with non-governmental organizations.
The State Department official also said that Pakistan remains an "important partner" for the US.
"Particularly, this is a country with which we have extensive security cooperation, we certainly want to continue to cooperate and work with the government of Pakistan," he said.
In his meeting with Lu and Horst, Aurangzeb discussed streamlining the tax base energy sector and widening privatization during a meeting at the World Sanctions Headquarters, Geo News reported.Both sides focused on upgrading economic partnership with emphasis on alternative energy, agriculture, climate resilience and tech industry.
The minister identified opportunities for US investment in information technology, renewable energy, agriculture and mineral extraction, the report said
US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said this information was given to Aurangzeb during a meeting with Assistant Secretary Donald L. and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Horst.
"On our part, during the meetings, we encouraged Pakistan to prioritize macroeconomic reforms to address its economic challenges," Patel said at a press conference on Thursday.
Aurangzeb is currently in the US capital to hold talks with the IM for the new bailout package and attend World Bank meetings.
Lu, a US diplomat, has been at the center of the cipher controversy that saw former Prime Minister Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in prison along with former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.Just two weeks before the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (government) is to be ousted from power through a no-confidence vote in April 2022, Khan held a piece of paper – purportedly a copy of a diplomatic cipher – at a public rally in Islamabad. waved, claiming it was evidence of a conspiracy against his government by a foreign power.
Patel said Pakistan's Finance Minister is in the US not only for a series of meetings within the US government but is also interacting with non-governmental organizations.
The State Department official also said that Pakistan remains an "important partner" for the US.
"Particularly, this is a country with which we have extensive security cooperation, we certainly want to continue to cooperate and work with the government of Pakistan," he said.
In his meeting with Lu and Horst, Aurangzeb discussed streamlining the tax base energy sector and widening privatization during a meeting at the World Sanctions Headquarters, Geo News reported.Both sides focused on upgrading economic partnership with emphasis on alternative energy, agriculture, climate resilience and tech industry.
The minister identified opportunities for US investment in information technology, renewable energy, agriculture and mineral extraction, the report said
