WASHINGTON: Counter­terrorism and border security are the two areas where the United States wants to continue to work with Pakistan, says the US State Department.

Responding to a question about restoring US security assistance to Pakistan, the department’s spokesperson Ned Price said at a Wednesday news briefing that Washington wanted to continue its cooperation with Islamabad in some areas.

“We value our bilateral relationship. We want to continue to work together in areas where we do have mutual interests with our Pakistani partners,” he said. “That includes counterterrorism. That includes border security as well.”

Commenting on the observation that the situation in Afghanistan had increased terrorist attacks in Pakistan as well, Mr Price mentioned last month’s attack at Karachi University that killed three Chinese and a Pakistani.

“Well, at the time, we strongly condemned the terrorist attack against Karachi University,” he said. “We reiterate that condemnation today.”

Mr Price said that a terrorist attack anywhere was an affront to humanity everywhere, “but for a terrorist attack to take place at a university, or at a religious site … — that is a true affront to mankind”.

Another journalist reminded him that the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently recommended adding India to a list of regular violators and asked if that recommendation would be implemented.

“USCIRF is an independent commission. It’s not a governmental entity. It does provide recommendations and guidance to the US government,” Mr Price responded. “It is something that we look at closely as we evaluate conditions of religious freedom or lack thereof around the world.”

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2022