Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement after a bipartisan Committee meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Including Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), 15 Committee Members attended the meeting in the Rayburn House Office Building.

Chairman Royce said:  “The House Foreign Affairs Committee used this visit of the Prime Minister to engage in a frank and full discussion about a variety of issues critical to U.S. national security.  I specifically pressed the Prime Minister to release Dr. Shakil Afridi and encouraged him to ensure that his nation is in fact a responsible and effective partner in countering terrorism, proliferation and violent extremism in the region.  We discussed promoting regional trade and greater trade with the United States.  I also discussed the importance of education reform.” 

Note:  Prime Minister Sharif was accompanied during the meeting by Finance Minister Muhammed Ishaq Dar; Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani; Sartaj Aziz, national security and foreign affairs advisor; and other high-ranking officials.

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