RAWALPINDI:
A US congressional delegation on Sunday praised the Pakistan Armed Forces for their critical role in combating terrorism and acknowledged the country’s resilience and strategic potential during high-level meetings with both civil and military leadership.
The delegation, led by Congressman Jack Bergman and including Thomas Souzzi and Jonathan Jackson, held separate meetings with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the meeting with Gen Munir focused on mutual interest, with particular emphasis on regional security and defence cooperation.
“Both sides reaffirmed the importance of sustained engagement based on mutual respect, shared values, and converging strategic interests,” the ISPR said, adding that memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were also signed for training collaboration in the field of information technology.
The media wing of the military stated that the visiting US lawmakers commended the Pakistan Armed Forces for their pivotal role in combating terrorism and acknowledged Pakistan’s enduring contributions to regional peace and stability.
“Underscoring their respect for Pakistan’s sovereignty, the US Congressional delegation conveyed a strong commitment to advancing broad-based bilateral cooperation, particularly in the domains of security, trade, investment, and economic development,” it added.
General Asim conveyed his appreciation to the delegation for their visit and reiterated Pakistan’s desire to further deepen and diversify its longstanding partnership with the United States in a manner that was mutually beneficial and respectful of each other’s national interests, the ISPR said.
Earlier in the day, the delegation met with Interior Minister Naqvi and held detailed discussion on bilateral relations, including cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, and investment, as well as security, counterterrorism, and border security.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Acting US Ambassador to Pakistan Natalie Baker, and Federal Interior Secretary Khurram Agha were also present during the meeting. The minister welcomed a meeting of the Pakistan Caucus in the US on April 30.
The interior minister stressed that terrorism was a global challenge, and the international community must extend its full cooperation to Pakistan, adding that Pakistan’s immense sacrifices against terrorism were unmatched in the global context.
“Pakistan stands as a wall between terrorism and the rest of the world,” he said. “Intelligence and technology sharing in the domain of counterterrorism is of utmost importance,” he added. He hoped the delegation’s visit would be crucial in highlighting Pakistan’s vital role in the fight against terrorism.
Naqvi welcomed the US participation in the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 last week. He assured the congressmen that the government would ensure every possible facility and full protection to the investors.
On the occasion, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry said that the ‘Counter-Terrorism Dialogue’, which would be held in Islamabad in June, would play a key role in promoting mutual cooperation in the area of counterterrorism.
The US Congressmen said that there was the need for highlighting Pakistan’s role in the war against terrorism. They further said that the Pakistani community residing in the United States was very talented and hardworking.
The delegation arrived on Saturday on a weeklong visit to Pakistan, the first ever high-level US congressional delegation visit to the country since US President Trump took over the office on January 20 this year.
On Saturday, the delegation called on Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and the two sides resolved to further strengthen and diversify bilateral relations in the areas of mutual interest, according to the Foreign Office spokesperson.
Later the delegation called on Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and held talks on strengthening the Pak-US relations, particularly in the realm of development cooperation and future collaboration across various sectors. Both sides underscored the importance of the common commitment to progress.
Iqbal emphasised that Pakistan’s longstanding and broad-based relationship with the United States remained a key pillar of its foreign policy, which contributes significantly to regional stability and global peace, especially in a volatile global environment.
In the realities of new geo-politics, the planning minister stressed the need for establishing a new equilibrium in the bilateral relations based on the ground realities, mutual trust and development focused partnership.
Iqbal highlighted the need for understanding Pakistan’s socio-economic challenges in the aftermaths of the two US led wars in the region. “Pakistan has borne the brunt of the burden of over 3.5 million refugees for over three decades, drug and gun running in the society and the rise of extremism.
The minister stressed the need for establishing new foundations in the bilateral relations that focused on development, especially in education, energy, climate change, infrastructure, and information technology. The US delegation thanked Pakistan for for the warm welcome.
During its stay in Pakistan the delegation will visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) capital Muzaffarabad. The AJK leadership would give an in-depth briefing about the latest situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu Kashmir (IIOJK), including the security situation at the Line of Control (LoC).
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