ISLAMABAD: The United States (US) and Pakistan have pledged to keep strengthening bilateral relations and enhance engagement on regional and global issues of mutual interest, the Pakistani foreign office said late Friday. 

The statement came after a telephonic conversation between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday. 

The foreign minister told Secretary Blinken that constructive and sustained engagement between the two countries on the basis of “mutual respect” and “mutual interest” was vital to promote peace, development and security in the region and beyond. 

Bhutto-Zardari emphasized Pakistan’s vision was focused on human development, regional connectivity, and a peaceful neighborhood, the Pakistan foreign office said in the statement. 

“During the phone call, Secretary Blinken congratulated Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on assumption of his office and expressed the desire to continue strengthening mutually beneficial Pakistan-US bilateral relationship,” the statement read. 

“The foreign minister and the secretary of state agreed to remain in contact and enhance engagement on regional and global issues of mutual interest.” 

Building on the Pakistan-US cooperation in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic during the last two years, Secretary Blinken extended an invitation to Pakistan to the Second Global COVID-19 Summit to be held virtually later this month, according to the statement 

He also invited Pakistan to participate in the ministerial meeting on Global Food Security, which is scheduled to be held in New York on May 18. 

In March, the Pakistan-US relations touched another low after former prime minister Imran Khan accused Washington of backing Pakistani opposition parties, now in government, in their bid to oust him from power. 

Khan has since continued his tirade against the US at rallies and in interviews, describing his ouster through a no-trust vote in parliament as a “conspiracy.” The US denies the accusations. 

However, there has been a thaw in the Islamabad-Washington ties since Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assumed the office on April 11. 

But most analysts believe Washington won’t seek a significant broadening of ties with the South Asian nation and it will remain mostly focused on security cooperation, especially on counterterrorism and in Afghanistan.