News
No country has suffered more from terrorism than Pakistan: US
WASHINGTON: Acknowledging that Pakistan has been the biggest victim of terrorism, the United States has reaffirmed its resolve to assist Islamabad in addressing the challenge of violent extremism comprehensively."We are trying to help Pakistan improve its government, improve that government's relationship with its people, help Pakistan develop the tools and the strategy to combat extremism within its borders," Philip J Crowley, Assistant Secretary of State said at the daily briefing.
He noted that extremism is, first and foremost, a threat to Pakistan itself and underscored the strategically located South Asian country's key importance to regional stability.
"There's no country that has suffered more significantly from terrorism than Pakistan itself."
"It's a strategic country. It is important in terms of regional stability, it's important to the United States and others in terms of its links to extremism and the risk of terrorism that does affect all of us, including the United States. We are committed to a long-term partnership with Pakistan."
The Obama administration is purusing a regional approach to addressing the challenges, the spokesman said.
"The challenge of political extremism is not just focused on any one country. There have been attacks against Indian interests in Afghanistan, in India. And this is why we're deeply engaged across the region with Afghanistan, with Pakistan, with India to try to attack this extremism that affects all of our countries."
The acting Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Frank Ruggiero had a very successful trip to Pakistan to demonstrate that "we are committed to helping to build a stable, secure, and prosperous Pakistan," Crowley added.
During the visit, Ruggiero announced a contribution of $190 million to Pakistan's Citizen Damage Compensation Fund. This was part of the $500 million in Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act funds that late Ambassador Richard Holbrooke had previously committed to help Pakistan with its flood relief operations.
Meanwhile, the spokesman said, the search is ongoing to determine successor of Ambassador Holbrooke who died in December 2010.
Commenting on Islamabad's recent decision to roll back hike in petroleum prices, Crowley said the move has not dealt a blow to Washington's wide-ranging strategy for the country.
"We are committed to helping improve the circumstances on the ground for the people of Pakistan from those areas that were significantly affected by the flooding, but we have a strategy that is focused on all of Pakistan, including bringing greater economic opportunity to those areas where we have concerns about the presence of extremists that are, that can affect Pakistan."
Questioned if the Obama Administration's strategy for Pakistan suffered a significant blow with the government's decision to reverse the energy price increase, the spokesman replied: "Not at all. A stable civilian government supported by the people of Pakistan is essential to be able to carry out the strategy that we have worked out together. The Secretary has described our specific concerns that economic reforms continue, but economic reforms have multiple dimensions. Gasoline is one, but there are a number of other areas, from agriculture to reform of state-owned enterprises. Pakistan has to make progress on all of these areas."
Crowley agreed with the significance of Islamabad getting market access as part of efforts to bolster its economy.
"There is no question that economics is a very important dimension of boosting Pakistan. It not only has to have a viable economy, but it has to have access to markets. This is something that we continue to discuss with Pakistan." On the long-delayed preferential trade program through establishment of Reconstruction Opportunity Zone in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the spokesman said the Obama Administration continue to discuss it with the Congress.
Courtesy www.geo.tv