"... Critical To Our Interests": US On New Pak PM's Appointment

After Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan, the United States said that they support the upholding of constitutional democratic principles and a democratic Pakistan is critical to US interests.

"We support the peaceful upholding of constitutional democratic principles. We don't support one political party over another. We certainly support the principles of rule of law and equal justice under the law," the White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a press briefing.

Psaki said that the US values its cooperation with Pakistan, and always viewed a prosperous and democratic Pakistan is critical to its interests

"We value our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan, and always viewed a prosperous and democratic Pakistan is critical to US interests that remain unchanged regardless of who leadership is in terms of future policymaking to predict at this point in time, obviously we stay in close touch with them at a range of levels," she added.

Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan on Monday evening hours after being elected by the National Assembly of the country.

Prime Minister-elect Shehbaz Sharif was administered the oath by the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani after President Arif Alvi fell ill.

Shehbaz Sharif, President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and former leader of the Opposition, was elected the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan by the National Assembly of the country earlier today.

"Mian Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif has secured 174 votes," announced PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq, who was chairing the session after the resignation of Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri ahead of the vote.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khans, who sought to link the opposition's move to oust him through a no-trust vote with "foreign conspiracy" and named the United States in some of his speeches, was voted out of power by the Pakistani Parliament.

However, the United States rejected his allegations. Imran Khan also gave calls for people to take to the streets while the joint opposition remained steadfast in its objective of defeating him.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)