US says wants to continue working with Pakistan on counterterrorism, border security

ISLAMABAD: Ned Price, the United States Department of State spokesperson, has said the US wanted to continue to work with Pakistan in areas of “mutual interests,” including border security and counterterrorism.
Though the US has warmly congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on becoming Pakistan’s new prime minister last month, most analysts have said they do not expect Washington to seek a significant broadening of ties with the South Asian nation, but to remain mostly focused on security cooperation, especially on counterterrorism and Afghanistan.
Sharif’s predecessor Imran Khan, ousted from power in a no-confidence vote, was known for his anti-American sentiment and has widely said his ouster was set up as a “foreign conspiracy” by the United States.
The US has denied Khan’s accusations and said it has not interfered in Pakistani politics.
“We value our bilateral relationship,” Price said at a press briefing on Thursday. “We want to continue to work together in areas where we do have mutual interests with our Pakistani partners. That includes counterterrorism. That includes border security as well.”
Price also “strongly condemned” a militant attack on Karachi University last week, in which three Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed. A separatist militant group claimed responsibility and said the attack was carried out by a woman suicide bomber.
“A terrorist attack anywhere is an affront to humanity everywhere, but for a terrorist attack to take place at a university, or at a religious site, or at some of the locations we’ve seen recently – that is a true affront to mankind,” Price added.