The US wants to see a prosperous and stable Pakistan, said State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel.
According to the detail, Vedant Patel, while briefing the newsmen in Washington, made the remarks in response to a question on arrests of political leaders and the government’s decision to try civilians under the army act who were involved in attacks on military installations.
He said that a prosperous and stable Pakistan is in the interest of US-Pakistan relations. He said that we are engaged with Pakistan directly on several issues and added that a statement could not be given on every diplomatic contact.
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“We engage directly with our Pakistani partners on the issues that are of importance to the United States and are of importance to broader regional security and stability,” Vedant Patel said.
Moreover, Patel also avoided directly answering a question about missing journalists, military courts in Pakistan and Aafia Siddiqui. Regarding a question regarding Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who has been languishing in the US jail for the last 20 years, Patel said that the State Department doesn’t have anything to speak on this case.
“I will refer to the relevant law enforcement authorities on this,” he added.
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The US has, on multiple occasions, stressed political stability in Pakistan. In a separate news conference, State Department’s Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said the US does not choose a political party or a particular candidate regarding Pakistan or any other country. He also reiterated that a strong, stable and prosperous Pakistan is crucial to its ties with the country.
“We do not choose a political party or a particular candidate when it comes to Pakistan or really any country. As it relates to Pakistan, our view is that a strong, stable, prosperous Pakistan is key to a strong and stable US-Pakistan relationship,” Patel said in response to a query on the “political circus” in Pakistan.