Washington: The US has reaffirmed its commitment to helping Pakistan combat terrorism so that its population are safe and human rights are upheld.
US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel stated during a news briefing on Tuesday, “We support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of its citizens in a manner that promotes the rule of law and protection of human rights.”
In response to an inquiry about the necessity of bolstering Pakistan’s defense capabilities, the spokesman emphasized the “shared interests” between Washington and Islamabad.
“Our partnership with Pakistan on security issues includes, of course, a high-level counter-terrorism dialogue, funding robust counter-terrorism capacity, and building programs and supporting a series of US and Pakistan military-to-military engagements,” he said.
Patel’s comments coincide with the two nations’ reaffirmation of their commitment to strengthening their cooperation in the areas of commerce, investment, and regional security during a meeting in Islamabad between US Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs John Bass and Acting Foreign Secretary Ambassador Rahim Hayat.
In its “2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,” published last week, the US State Department emphasized that Pakistan has not taken the required steps to remedy violations of human rights in the nation.
