Pakistan and the US on Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation in counterterrorism and internal security, according to an official statement.
The agreement came during a meeting between Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs John Mark Pomeroy in the capital Islamabad, according to a statement by the Interior Ministry.
Both sides discussed expanding economic engagement and agreed to promote investment and partnerships in Pakistan’s mining, minerals, and energy sectors.
Speaking during the meeting, Naqvi stressed that global cooperation is essential in the fight against terrorism and described Pakistan’s relationship with the US as critically important.
He welcomed American investment and assured that US investors would be provided with the safest possible environment.
Pomeroy said the US attaches great importance to its relationship with Pakistan, underscoring Washington’s interest in strengthening ties beyond security into economic cooperation.
Confronting militancy
Pomeroy also condemned the recent suspected suicide bombing in Islamabad and attacks in Balochistan and conveyed condolences to the victims, reaffirming Washington’s support for Pakistan in confronting militancy.
At least 31 people were killed and 169 others injured when a suspected suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shia mosque during Friday prayer in Islamabad last week.
While 36 civilians and 22 law enforcement personnel were killed in deadly attacks late last month in Balochistan. Security forces also killed 216 suspected militants during a six-day operation across the province after attacks claimed by a militant group, the Balochistan Liberation Army.
Pakistan has seen a renewed surge in violence in January, with combat-related deaths rising 43 percent compared to December last year.
A total of 361 people were killed last month, including 242 militants, 73 civilians, and 46 security personnel, according to statistics from the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.
