Top US diplomat Victoria Nuland spoke by phone with Pakistani Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Tuesday, telling him that Washington attaches great importance to holding “timely, free and fair elections” in the South Asian nation, a State Department briefing said. .

“Acting Deputy Secretary (Foreign) Nuland and Foreign Minister Jilani discussed the importance of holding timely, free and fair elections in a manner consistent with the laws and Constitution of Pakistan,” according to the text.

Pakistan has been experiencing a political crisis for more than a year, with former prime minister Imran Khan – removed from office following a no-confidence vote in parliament in 2022 – at the center.

Mr Khan attributed his overthrow to the US and the Pakistani military. Both Washington and the general staff deny any involvement.

The briefing note makes no mention of Imran Khan.

On Tuesday, a Pakistani court overturned the former prime minister’s conviction in a corruption case, but he will remain in prison as a judge has already ordered him to remain in custody in another case.

The conviction of Mr Khan – who remains the most popular politician in the country, according to opinion polls – means he is barred from running for any office for the next five years.

A caretaker government under Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar was sworn in in mid-August and will handle current affairs until elections are held, which are not expected to be held until after December, after the process of redrawing constituencies based on the latest population census is completed.

Its main mission is the economic stabilization of Pakistan, which proceeded to conclude a loan agreement of 3 billion dollars from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), preventing the risk of declaring a default.

Analysts note that if the caretaker government continues to exercise power beyond constitutional limits, the military will seize the opportunity presented to it to further strengthen its power.

Of the 76 years of Pakistan’s existence as an independent state, for more than three decades power has been exercised by military coups.

Ms. Nuland and Mr. Jilani also discussed during the conference call the stabilization of the economy of Pakistan, a country with a GDP of up to $350 billion, and the agreement with the IMF, according to the State Department.