Counter Terrorism And US-Pakistan initiatives
![The United States may revive some of its counter terrorism initiatives from the post-9/11 era to help Pakistan combat terrorism](https://formalpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/us-pak-991x564.jpg)
ISLAMABAD: The United States may revive some of its counter terrorism initiatives from the post-9/11 era to help Pakistan counter terrorism that it faces once again in the country amid unprecedented economic and political turmoil.
This decision was made in light of the renewed threat posed by banned groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The two-day policy-focused meeting, which aimed to improve cooperation and prevent violent extremism, was held in Islamabad and was chaired by the US Department of State’s Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Christopher Landberg, and Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Additional Secretary for the UN and Economic Diplomacy, Syed Haider Shah.
The US Embassy released a statement in which they emphasized the need for the US and Pakistan to collaborate in countering regional and global threats. The statement further indicated that both countries are committed to restarting or introducing counterterrorism programs to better equip Pakistan to counter all forms of violent extremism.
Despite withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, the US has indicated that it wants to maintain counter-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan. The US statement highlighted the strengthening of the bilateral relationship between the two countries in a range of areas, including trade and investment, energy dialogue, and climate and environment working groups.
The US Embassy released a statement in which they emphasized the need for the US and Pakistan to collaborate in countering regional and global threats
The Foreign Office also issued a separate statement that covered various topics discussed during the two-day meeting. Counter terrorism cooperation at multilateral forums, regional counter-terrorism landscape, cyber security, and countering violent extremism were some of the areas of discussion.
Both countries also highlighted the importance of capacity building in anti-money laundering and the justice sector to counter-terrorism.
The two sides shared their experiences in countering terrorism financing and reaffirmed their commitment to address the common threat of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They also agreed to continue the dialogue and develop a better understanding of the terrorist threat.
Overall, the two-day counter-terrorism dialogue underscores the deepening cooperation between the US and Pakistan in contributing to regional and global security and stability.