Pence calls Pak’s interim PM; expresses support

Islamabad, Jun 08: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has telephoned Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk and expressed his support to the government.
A six-member caretaker federal Cabinet on Tuesday took oath to run the Pakistan government under interim Prime Minister Mulk (67), till the general election on July 25.
Pence’s call on Thursday came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked to Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss various issues, including the peace process in Afghanistan.
Pence expressed support for the caretaker government on behalf of President Donald Trump, as both the leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, Radio Pakistan reported.
They also agreed to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Mulk said that the caretaker government is providing all possible assistance to the Election Commission to hold free, fair, transparent and peaceful general election on time.
Earlier, U.S. State Department said that Pompeo and General Bajwa discussed ways to advance U.S.-Pakistan bilateral relations, the need for political reconciliation in Afghanistan and the importance of targeting all militant and terrorist groups in South Asia without distinction.
Pakistan has not formally issued any response to the conversation between Mr. Pompeo and Gen. Bajwa.
But the army spokesman said that that billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates called Gen. Bajwa and supported efforts by the army to help eradicate polio from Pakistan.
Pakistan, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria, are the only three countries in the world where polio remains endemic.