The United States says it values its long-standing partnership with Pakistan and its engagement with the new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his government will continue to focus on advancing these shared interests.

The state department also hails Maryam Nawaz election as Chief Minister of Punjab as milestone in Pakistani politics.

Responding to a question on election of Shehbaz Sharif as Prime Minister of Pakistan, the state department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington values its longstanding partnership with Pakistan and has always viewed a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan as critical to United States-Pakistan interests.

He said engagement with new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his government will continue to focus on advancing these shared interests.

When asked about election of Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as the first woman Chief Minister of the key province of Punjab, he said her election as Chief Minister is a milestone in Pakistani politics.

He said we look forward to cooperating with Pakistan more broadly on integrating women more fully into the country’s political life, in the economy, including through the U.S.-Pakistan women’s council, civil society, and other decision making spaces.

He said an all inclusive Pakistan makes for a strong, prosperous country which all pakisTanis benefit from, and so we are always pleased when we see cracks in the glass ceiling anywhere in the world.