ISLAMABAD         -      Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday, noting the recent momentum in high-level bilateral exchanges, stressed that structured and broadbased Pakistan-US engagement was critical to advancing both countries’ shared goals in bilateral and regional domains.

The prime minister, in a meeting with US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome who called on him, thanked the United States for its continued support for Pakistan’s post-flood reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts, including at the recently held International Conference on Resilient Pakistan in Geneva. The prime minis ter reiterated that Pakistan attached importance to its longstanding ties with the United States, a PM Office statement said. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to deepen economic and trade engagement with the United States.

Ambassador Blome said that the United States would continue to support Pakistan’s post-flood recovery as well as the government’s efforts for economic development and reform. Meanwhile, former President Asif Ali Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met with Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Thursday.

The overall political situation of the country was discussed in the meeting, Radio Pakistan reported late Thursday. Minister for Defense Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Economic and Political Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Minister for Railways and Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafiq also participated in the meeting.