WASHINGTON: Pakistan is doing the “bare minimum” to squeeze the Taliban and terror groups, a senior US administration official said Friday, despite Washington’s threat to freeze two billion dollars’ worth of aid.
The official’s comments also come as Pakistan is trying to avoid being put on a global watch list over terrorism financing that could hamper its ability to receive foreign investment.
“The Pakistanis have wanted to appear responsive,” the official said on condition of anonymity, sketching out the need for increased pressure.
“They have done the bare minimum to appear responsive to our requests,” the official added, citing the need to prod the Taliban toward the negotiating table and round-up militants.
“We continue to make very specific requests, and when provided with very specific information they have responded, but we have not seen them pro-actively take the steps that we expect and know they are capable of.”
It is more than 200 days since President Donald Trump announced America’s latest strategy to win the long war in Afghanistan, focusing on pushing the Taliban to the negotiating table.
The plan demanded Pakistan move against Taliban leaders who support a continuation of the war, under the threat of cutting US military assistance and Afghanistan coalition funding to Islamabad.
So far, the strategy has borne only limited fruit, limiting the Taliban’s march on the battlefield.
But, according to Washington, there is little sign that Islamabad has made a decision to end its support for group which the country’s powerful security services see as safeguarding its interests and against bulwark against Indian influence in Kabul.
“We didn’t think this would be easy,” the official said. “We need to sustain the pressure.”
“I don’t think that we can just the efficacy of the strategy right now. We should give it more time, it deserves more time,” the official added, suggesting an August anniversary of Trump’s strategy speech may be a good time to reflect.
Members of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an anti money-laundering watchdog based Paris, voted last month to place Pakistan on its grey list of nations which are not doing enough to combat terror financing in June, reportedly under US pressure.
That gives Pakistan three months to make enough changes to avoid the listing.
arb/ia
Pakistan doing ‘bare minimum’ to help US — official
Pakistan doing ‘bare minimum’ to help US — official
Karachi hosts scaled-down Lux Style Awards as industry reflects on recognition, evolving formats, inclusion
- 24th edition of prestigious awards held at historic Mohatta Palace after the ceremony in May was canceled
- Awards introduce new Digital Content Creators category amid changing entertainment and media landscape
KARACHI: Pakistan’s entertainment industry gathered in Karachi on Thursday for a smaller, more intimate ceremony marking the cc, as artists reflected on the importance of recognition, evolving formats and broader inclusion across creative fields.
The awards, considered Pakistan’s longest running and most prestigious entertainment honors, were held at the Mohatta Palace, a departure from previous large-scale events at the Karachi Expo Center.
Actress Sanam Saeed, who co-hosted the evening, described the ceremony as “small and intimate,” a tone echoed by several attendees.
The scaled-down format followed an unusual year for the awards. The 23rd Lux Style Awards, scheduled to take place in Lahore in May, were canceled amid the brief war between Pakistan and India, with winners announced digitally and trophies delivered to recipients’ homes.
Among the prominent stars attending this year’s ceremony were Fahad Mustafa, Hania Aamir, Mawra Hocane and Yumna Zaidi. Aamir, who won Actor of the Year – Female (Viewers’ Choice), for the hit television drama Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, said award platforms play a vital role in sustaining creative industries.
“It’s extremely important to appreciate the art that comes out of your country,” she told Arab News at the red carpet. The drama, she noted, resonated beyond Pakistan, trending in Bangladesh and India during its broadcast.
Addressing fans abroad, Aamir, arguably Pakistan’s most popular celebrity internationally, said:
“Thank you so much for loving beyond borders. We love you as much even more. So thank you so much for appreciating all the hard work that we do.”
She also called for broader recognition across productions.
“I’d like Lux [Style Awards] and every other award show to have a lot more diverse categories to appreciate every single person who is a part of the team. [And] who actually makes the project come to life.”
The Lux Style Awards have long attracted debate over transparency and credibility, a recurring discussion whenever nominations and winners are announced.
Still, many artists said the platform remains essential for motivation and visibility.
“Whenever we discuss the awards, no award will be fair because some people will have certain reservations with it,” producer Abdullah Seja of iDream Entertainment told Arab News. “These might be the most authentic awards in Pakistan [but] obviously there is room for improvement in everything.”
Reflecting shifts in Pakistan’s creative economy, the awards introduced a separate category this year for Digital Content Creators. The inaugural trophy went to real-life couple Rabya Kulsoom and Rehan Nazim, known online as ‘Ron and Cocco’.
“The credit goes to Lux [Style Awards] for introducing the category because content creation is not easy,” Nazim said. “Whoever is doing it, it’s a difficult job. And now it has become a full-time job. You can’t take it lightly and do it on the side. So, we need to recognize the people who are doing it.”
Actress Yumna Zaidi, who won her first film award for Nayab, described the ceremony’s return to Karachi as significant.
“I am so glad that it’s happening in Karachi because it’s been a while,” she said, adding, “Lux [Style Awards] are the strongest because it includes nominations from all the channels and it’s the strongest [competition].”
Mawra Hocane, whose drama Jafaa was nominated for TV Play of the Year (Critics’ Choice), said meaningful storytelling mattered more than trophies.
“Platforms [like these] are very very important but more than that what’s important is that a project strikes a chord with the audience,” she said.
“I do my projects so that we can work on the position of women in society. [And] somehow elevate them, somehow create some space for them. And I think ‘Jafaa’ has done that.”
Music remained a central draw of the evening.
Co-host Sanam Saeed said she was particularly looking forward to live performances.
“Music is the kind of genre that bonds people together and puts Pakistan on the map,” she said.
“We become one when it comes to music, forgetting all the distance, limitations and borders. [And] Our music does that.”
Singer and songwriter Hasan Raheem, popular among younger audiences, also performed during the ceremony and reflected on the value of such platforms.
“These [platforms] are important, honestly,” he said. “I feel like things like these should happen because the real present and the gift that I personally get is the love from people that is the epitome of all the awards. I can never get a better award than that.”
