US Secretary of State Marco Rubio further consolidated America’s deepening ties with Pakistan on the occasion of the South Asian nation’s Independence Day on August 14.
“On behalf of the United States, I extend our warm congratulations to the people of Pakistan as they celebrate their Independence Day on August 14,” the US government quoted Rubio in a press release Thursday morning (IST).
“The United States deeply appreciates Pakistan’s engagement on counterterrorism and trade,” the official message added. “We look forward to exploring new areas of economic cooperation, including critical minerals and hydrocarbons, and fostering dynamic business partnerships which will promote a prosperous future for Americans and Pakistanis.”
US and India vs Pakistan debate rages on
Rubio’s official note comes at a time when complications between the United States and India seem to be at a high, while it continues to back Pakistan. Trump administration’s recent tariff rollout also registered Pakistan achieving the lowest tariff rate (19%) in South Asia, whereas India was hit with an additional 25% levy, with the doubled tariffs reaching the highest bar of 50% due to the country’s Russian oil purchases.
Earlier this week, the Trump government pushed out a human rights report, but this time India set a better standard as opposed to Pakistan in its view. For the former, the US said, “the govt took minimal credible steps or action to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses.” As for Pakistan, the report read, “The govt rarely took credible steps to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses.”
US-Pak counterterrorism talks
Just recently, the US designated the Pakistan-based Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) a Foreign Terrorist Organisation.
After the two countries’ bilateral counterterrorism dialogue in Islamabad this week, a join statement was issued. It said, “Both delegations underscored the critical importance of developing effective approaches to terrorist threats, including those posed by Balochistan Liberation Army, ISIS-Khorasan, and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.”
While doubling on their “long-standing partnership,” the US praised Pakistan’s “continued successes in containing terrorist entities that pose a threat to the peace and security of the region and the world.”