WASHINGTON: The United States is not dictating Pakistan the timeline on fighting terrorists and is willing to help them as needed, a State Department spokesman said at a daily briefing.
“We’re not dictating to Pakistan the timeline under which they would or would not undertake operations against that or any other terrorist group,” the State Department spokesman John Kirby said while responding to a question at a briefing on Wednesday.
“We know that they (Pakistan) know that these are serious threats,” Kirby said.
The spokesman said that Washington stand in unity with Pakistan against the threat of terrorism and continue to make point that we’re, we would and will continue to be willing to help them as needed”.
In a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the White House, President Barack Obama affirmed Pakistan’s role as a key counter-terrorism partner and recognized the sacrifices that Pakistani civilians, military and law enforcement personnel have made over the years.
The spokesman said that the United States was mindful that Pakistan itself and the Pakistani people have fallen victim, and continue to fall, victim to terrorism.
“Not only (they have) lost civilians there, they’ve lost soldiers. It’s a serious threat, and we know that they take it seriously,” he said.
“I don’t think there’s a Pakistani citizen today that needs to be reminded of how serious the threat is. Many of them have lost family and friends,” the spokesman said. He said that Pakistan knew that terrorism matters not just to the region but to the world, adding, it was a difficult problem to crack.
On Pakistan-US relationship, spokesman Kirby said it has been complicated at times.
“What we’re looking at and what we’re trying to get to is a future where that relationship deepens and grows and becomes stronger with especially in respect of countering violent extremism,” the state department spokesman said.
“What we’re focused on is the future and a future in particularly in that part of the world that can lead us all to a better outcome with respect to violent extremism, and to a relationship with Pakistan which can deepen and grow and strengthen with respect to countering violent extremism.” he said in reply to a question.
Source: APP
