The United States has said that Washington is mulling to revive security cooperation with Pakistan.
Addressing a news briefing Wednesday, State Department spokesman Ned Price said the US gives great importance to its relations with Pakistan. “What I’ll say is that we value our bilateral relationship. We want to continue to work together in areas where we do have mutual interests with our Pakistani partners. That includes counterterrorism. That includes border security as well,” he added. Ned Price also condemned the terrorist attack at the University of Karachi that killed four people, including three Chinese nationals.
At least four people were killed while four others sustained injuries in a suicide explosion at the premises of the University of Karachi on April 26 outside Confucius Institute.
Ned Price deplored the terrorist attack in Karachi terming it “a true affront to mankind.” “A terrorist attack anywhere is an affront to humanity everywhere, but for a terrorist attack to take place at a university, or at a religious site, or at some of the locations we’ve seen recently – that is a true affront to mankind,” he stated when asked to comment on the suicide attack targeting Chinese citizens.
Here are some excerpts of Ned Price’s briefing:
QUESTION: Sir, last week there was a suicide bomb blast in Pakistan. Due to situation in Afghanistan, we have seen rising terrorism in Pakistan. The security assistance was suspended by previous US administration. It is still suspended. Is there any reviews going on?
MR PRICE: Well, at the time, we strongly condemned the terrorist attack against Karachi University, a university in Pakistan. We reiterate that condemnation today. A terrorist attack anywhere is an affront to humanity everywhere, but for a terrorist attack to take place at a university, or at a religious site, or at some of the locations we’ve seen recently – that is a true affront to mankind.
When it comes to your question, what I’ll say is that we value our bilateral relationship. We want to continue to work together in areas where we do have mutual interests with our Pakistani partners. That includes counterterrorism. That includes border security as well.
QUESTION: Sir, the US Commission on Religious Freedom recommended to include India into their blacklist, like for the religious freedom violations. So what would be the – expecting to see in regards to, like, second time in a row a US commission recommended India to be included into the CPC countries?
MR PRICE: Well, USCIRF is an independent commission. It’s not a governmental entity. It does provide recommendations and guidance to the US government. It is something that we look at closely as we evaluate conditions of religious freedom or lack thereof around the world.
