Washington: The United States has once again reiterated its position on counterterrorism and ties with Pakistan, saying that it seeks a strong partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism against all militant and terrorist groups.
The statement came from US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel during a press briefing on Tuesday.
Responding to a question on the rise of militancy–especially the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)–in Pakistan, Vedant Patel said that the US and Pakistan have a shared interest in combating threats to regional instability and regional security like the TTP.
Acknowledging Pakistan’s sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, he said few countries have suffered from terrorism like Pakistan.
“We seek a strong partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism and expect sustained action against all militant and terrorist groups, and we look forward to the cooperative efforts to eliminate all regional and global terrorist threats,” the spokesperson added.
When asked that his comment on Monday stating US confidence in the security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets was totally different from President Biden’s, in which he termed Pakistan as probably “one of the most dangerous nations in the world“, Vedant clarified that he was not the one to speak directly on President’s comments.
However, he reiterated that the US has always viewed a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to US interests and, more broadly, to US values.
