Pak-US ties complicated but vital: State Dept

WASHINGTON: Admitting that ties between Pakistan and the United States are ‘complicated at times’, a US State Department spokesperson on Saturday said Washington nevertheless views the relationship as vital.

“Is it [the Pakistan-US relationship] complicated at times? Absolutely, it is. Do we see eye-to-eye with Pakistan on every issue? No, we don’t,” John Kirby told reporters at a routine news briefing in Washington.



“[But] we have shared threats and shared concerns, and a shared interest in the region. That’s why the relationship matters so much… and [that’s why] we’re going to remain committed and continue to work at it very, very seriously,” he said while replying to a question about Pakistan-US ties being under stress over the last few months.

In response to another question, Kirby said Pakistan and Afghanistan face a shared threat from terrorist networks and added that the US wants to see an improvement in dialogue and cooperation between the two neighbours.

“Terrorist networks continue to use safe havens, posing threats to both Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is a shared, common enemy to the people of Afghanistan and to the people of Pakistan,” the State Department spokesman said.



“That’s why we still have a counter-terrorism presence in Afghanistan … [and] that’s why the US continues to work with the government of Pakistan as best as it can, sharing information as appropriate to help all sides go after this shared threat.”

Kirby added that Pakistan and Afghanistan have been working together and communicating to tackle terrorist threats. “We want to see that kind of dialogue and cooperation continue and improve.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2016.