Washington: The US is expecting to develop relations with Pakistan with optimism to “look for opportunities” to work with the new leaders of Pakistan after they finalize to form the government and will try to increase security, stability and prosperity in South Asia region, a State Department official said today.

The United States is waiting for the complete official results from the Election Commission of Pakistan and observer missions to release their preliminary findings, the State Department spokesperson said.

In the recently held elections in Pakistan, Imran Khan claimed victory soon after Tehreek e Insaf party emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly amid allegations of rigging of the poll in his favor.

The party of Mr. Khan is leading on 109 seats, according to the latest official results.

“As Pakistan’s elected leaders form a new government, the United States will look for opportunities to work with them to advance our goals of security, stability, and prosperity in South Asia,” the State Department spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also added that the United States was “concerned by reports of constraints placed on freedoms of expression, association, and the press leading up to the elections”.

The ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Eliot Engel, expressed his concern over the “outsized role” the military played during the election, by saying that this has been another missed opportunity for the people of Pakistan.

“I want to congratulate the people of Pakistan who braved various hardships to cast their votes. I was hopeful that Pakistan would build upon its 2013 elections which saw the country’s first successful democratic transition from one civilian government to another,” he said.

“But I take very seriously the allegations that Pakistan’s military played an outsized role in shaping the electoral environment in advance of the elections,” Engel said.

He further added that he looked forward to work with “whatever government comes to power” but noted with clear disappointment the missed opportunity to advance democracy in Pakistan.

Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf political party emerged victorious as the largest party in the general elections held on 25 of July 2018. There were many allegations from other parties including the PPP and PML-N party of Nawaz Shareef. Nawaz Shareef was recently jailed by the court over corruption charges. Pakistan’s Imran Khan wants friendly ties with India.

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