According to a press release of a meeting held on Friday between Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Ambassador William Brownfield, both agreed to take specific steps to "strengthen coordination and communication, improve enforcement of existing laws on the transport and storage of IED precursors; increase public awareness of the threat posed by IED networks and facilitators; disrupt financial flows that support these networks; and improve interdiction efforts."
The press release, issued by the State Department, said that the group discussed how to disrupt the illegal networks that supply components and finance the IEDs in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The US delegation, said the State Department, emphasised the importance of taking action against the threat of IEDs to civilians, law enforcement and military personnel. "The US delegation reiterated the danger these devices pose to Pakistan as well as Afghan, US, and coalition forces working to establish stability and security in Afghanistan."
The statement said that the US delegation also noted steps taken by the Pakistani Government towards combating IEDs. "Both sides recommitted to pursuing practical solutions for improving joint efforts to combat IEDs and work with the Government of Afghanistan to improve security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border."
An Embassy of Pakistan spokesperson said that the meeting was attended by Director Joint IED Defeat Organisation from the Department of Defense LTF Michael Barbero, Deputy Assistant Second for Terrorist Finance and Financial Crimes, US Treasury Luke Bronin. From the Pakistani side, Additional Secretary Interior Najibullah Khan, Saud Ahmad Mirza, Brigadier Inam ul Haq, DG Foreign Affairs Faruk Amil and Pakistan Embassy Charge D' Affaires Asad Majid Khan also attended the meeting.
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Given that only a couple of years ago, the US provided 24 IED Detection Dogs to Pakistan, and they were abandoned to die, only six saved by a US Charity, one has to wonder...
Better late than never. How many years has the USA requested Pakistan to become proactive in controlling fertilizer which is being used to produce the IED explosive? How many Pakistani citizens have been blown up by these same IED's? I recall that years ago the American's were so frustrated they even volunteered to pay to have the fertilizer chemically altered to make it less suitable as an explosive - and you still dragged your feet. Go figure.