United States Ambassador Dona­ld Blome on Monday reassured President Asif Ali Zardari that the US continued to stand with Pakistan in the fight against terrorism amidst a recent rise in militancy in the country.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in the past year, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan after the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.

A statement from Acting US Mission Spokesperson Thomas Montgomery said the two met today to discuss a broad range of issues important to their bilateral relationship, including US support for continued economic reforms, human rights and regional security.

It added that during the meeting, the US envoy conveyed his condolences for the loss of life in Saturday’s terrorist attack at a security post in Mir Ali in North Waziristan which claimed the lives of seven Pakistani soldiers.

Blome also highlighted the importance of the two countries’ shared interests and the many opportunities to advance their shared goals, including through high-level dialogues and the Green Alliance framework.

Meanwhile, a statement from the President Secretariat Press Wing on the meeting said Zardari stressed that Pakistan had enjoyed a long-standing and broad-based relationship with the USA spanning over seven decades, which needed to be further strengthened.

The president underlined the need to enhance trade and investment relations with the US, besides exploring collaborative opportunities in diverse sectors.

He said that American enterprises should be encouraged to invest in the Pakistan Stock Exchange as well as bring innovative business ideas to the country’s economy.

Zardari said that the government’s top priority was to put the economy on the right track and overcome economic and security challenges. He highlighted that climate change was a global issue and Pakistan was among the countries most vulnerable to its adverse impacts.

He said that Pakistan wanted to improve its agricultural sector by adopting modern irrigation techniques to conserve water and reduce reliance on flood irrigation.

Blome said that Pakistan and the US could enhance bilateral collaboration in the fields of trade and investment, climate change, renewable energy, agriculture and security.

He informed President Zardari that the US had completed the Sindh Basic Education Programme to build climate-resilient schools to strengthen Pakistan’s education sector.

He also congratulated the president on assuming office for a second time.

‘Prosperity and security for Pakistan remain top priority’

Meanwhile, a separate statement from the acting US mission spokesperson said Blome also had a meeting with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during which the ambassador underscored that Pakistan’s prosperity and security remained a top priority for the US.

The two discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, including US support for economic reforms in Pakistan, regional security, the potential for growth in their trade and investment relationship, and the enduring importance of the US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework.

Blome conveyed the US’ commitment to working with the government and the people of Pakistan.