ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday congratulated newly appointed British Prime Minister Lizz Truss after she formally took charge of office a day earlier, hoping to promote historical relations between Pakistan and UK.
Truss, 47, took charge of her office on Tuesday after Queen Elizabeth II formally asked her to form a new government. Her predecessor Boris Johnson had announced his intention to step down two months earlier. Johnson had formally resigned a short time earlier after an audience with the queen as well.
In a post on Twitter, Pakistan’s prime minister expressed his desire to work with her to enhance ties between the two countries.
“The UK is Pakistan’s time-tested friend and one of our largest trading & development partners. I am keen to work with her to further promote our historic relations,” he wrote on Twitter.
Truss became the country’s premier a day after the ruling Conservative Party chose her as its leader in an election where the party’s 172,000 dues-paying members were the only voters. As the leader of the party, Truss automatically became prime minister without a general election. This was due to the fact that the Conservatives still have a majority in the House of Commons.
Truss takes charge of the country at a critical time when the cost of living has gone up due to soaring energy bills and the UK dreading a looming winter of recession and labor unrest.