US wants to continue working with Pakistan on border security, counter-terrorism

Islamabad: The United States wants to continue working with Pakistan in areas of mutual interests including border security and counterterrorism.

“We value our bilateral relationship,” Ned Price, the US Department of State spokesperson, said at a press briefing on Thursday.

“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 said this in response to a question about resumption of US security assistance suspended by previous US administration amidst surge in terror attack due to situation in Afghanistan.

The spokesperson also “strongly condemned” the militant attack on Karachi University last week, in which three Chinese nationals and one Pakistani lost their lives in a deadly suicide bombing. The attack was claimed by the banned militant organisation Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and carried out by a woman suicide bomber.

“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,” Price added

The US has congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on becoming Pakistan’s new prime minister last month, however, the two countries have remained at odds. Pakistan says that the US administration continues to look at Pakistan through the lens of Afghanistan instead of broadening ties. Pakistan also argued that the South Asian country is being scapegoated for US military failures in Afghanistan.