ISLAMABAD: Senior defence officials from Pakistan and the US met in the US capital recently for talks on a long-term defence partnership, official sources said.
“The United States may offer to increase security assistance to Pakistan to strengthen its counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism capabilities,” said a senior official who did not want to be identified. The US cooperation is part of a long-term defence partnership developed jointly by the two countries to combat terrorists.
The US, which plans to withdraw its combat troops, appears eager to forge a stronger relationship with both civilian and military leaderships in Pakistan.
The two-day US-Pakistan Defence Consultative Group meeting, is expected to consider various proposals for the proposed long-term partnership, outlined during initial meetings held since late last year. The Washington meeting will focus on the military hardware Pakistan may need to further enhance its capabilities after the US withdrawal, the sources said.
This will be the 22nd DCG meeting and takes place in the context of the revived strategic dialogue designed to build convergences on regional cooperation.
While seeking to forge a stronger relationship with Pakistan, US policy makers also stress the need for a regional strategy for fighting terrorism in South Asia and want to help improve Islamabad’s ties with New Delhi and Kabul.
“Now the visit of a high-powered defence delegation from Islamabad underlines a mutual realisation in both Islamabad and Washington that they must continue to work with each other even after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan,” a senior diplomatic source said.
INTERNEWS
