US says looks forward to working with new Pak PM

The United States has congratulated Pakistan's new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and said it "looks forward" to working with him on areas of mutual cooperation.

"We want to congratulate Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi on his election by the National Assembly. We will certainly look forward to working with him on areas of mutual cooperation," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told media persons here.

"We have very strong people-to-people ties with the Government of Pakistan. We'll look forward to working with Pakistan, and we'll look forward to working with him as well," she added.

When asked about former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif statement that former US president Bill Clinton offered him $5 billion for not carrying out nuclear tests in 1998, Nauert said she is not aware of the claims by Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that the then US President Bill Clinton had offered him USD 5 billion during Kargil war.

"I'm not aware of any of that money and what you're referring to from quite a few administrations ago," she said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi may retain the position for the remaining term of the PML-N government i.e. till 2018 elections.

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