ISLAMABAD - US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo has expressed best wishes for Pakistani nation on the occasion of Independence Day, saying Pakistan is our best ally and the US will continue to work with Pakistan to achieve shared goals.
In a statement, the US secretary of state said "On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I would like to extend my best wishes to the people of Pakistan as they celebrate their Independence Day. “For more than seven decades, the relationship between the United States and Pakistan has rested on the strong foundation of close ties between our two peoples. In the years ahead, we hope to further strengthen these bonds, as we continue to look for opportunities to work with the people and Government of Pakistan to advance our shared goals of security, stability, and prosperity in South Asia."
Prime Minister-in-waiting Imran Khan last week said that Pakistan and the US should strengthen their relations based on trust, amidst tensions in bilateral ties. The relations between Pakistan and the US nosedived this January after President Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to Washington but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists.
The US Congress also passed a bill to slash Pakistan's defence aid to $150 million, significantly below the historic level of more than $1 billion per year.