First Phone Call Between US and Pakistan on Counterterrorism Efforts
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Synopsis
On April 8, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pakistan's Deputy PM Ishaq Dar held their first phone call, focusing on counterterrorism cooperation, the return of abandoned military equipment from Afghanistan, and enhancing bilateral economic relations.
Key Takeaways
- First phone call between US and Pakistan on counterterrorism.
- Discussion on US military equipment left in Afghanistan.
- Emphasis on trade and investment cooperation.
- Pakistan's commitment to counterterrorism highlighted.
- Potential economic opportunities resulting from US tariffs.
Islamabad, April 8 (NationPress) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar engaged in their inaugural telephone discussion focused on enhancing counterterrorism collaboration between both nations. A significant aspect of their dialogue was the retrieval of US military equipment that was abandoned in Afghanistan post the 2021 withdrawal.
According to Pakistan's foreign office, the conversation also covered bilateral relations, regional security, and economic cooperation.
“During the call, DPM/FM Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fortifying its partnership with the United States. He stressed the significance of enhancing cooperation in domains such as trade, investment, and counter-terrorism,” stated a press release from Pakistan's foreign office.
“Secretary Rubio echoed the interest in collaborating with Pakistan on trade and investment, particularly in critical minerals. He mentioned that economic and trade cooperation would define future relations between the two nations,” the press release further noted.
The primary emphasis of their dialogue was on counterterrorism cooperation. Dar underscored Pakistan’s achievements in combating terrorism from 2013 to 2018, detailing the economic and human toll endured by Islamabad.
“Secretary of State Rubio commended Pakistan’s initiatives against terrorism and expressed the US's desire to further bolster counter-terrorism collaboration. The two leaders also deliberated on the circumstances in Afghanistan. Secretary Rubio concurred on the necessity to address the issue of US Military equipment left in Afghanistan,” as per the Pakistan foreign office release.
It is noteworthy that the call from Rubio is significant as it follows a day after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on nations including China. This move provoked a strong retaliatory response from Beijing, creating volatility in both global and Asian markets. Consequently, stock markets faced a sharp drop on Monday.
Pakistan has already decided to send a high-ranking delegation to Washington with hopes of transforming the US tariffs regime into a mutually beneficial scenario for both parties.
“One should never let a good crisis go to waste. We view it as both a challenge and an opportunity,” remarked Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.
