ISLAMABAD: The United States said on Monday it had promised to provide technical assistance to Pakistan along its western border to deal with the threat of militant violence in the recent round of Counterterrorism Dialogue between the two countries held earlier this month.

The dialogue was initiated after the United States moved against the Taliban administration in Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks, aiming to provide a bilateral forum to both countries to address mutual concerns over militant violence.

The most recent phase of the dialogue took place on May 10 where Pakistan’s additional foreign secretary for the United Nations Syed Haider Shah co-chaired the meeting with US State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism Elizabeth Richards.

“We confirmed with Pakistan today our bilateral intention to increase our capacity to meet emerging threats, specifically to increase communication on terrorism – specifically terrorism trends and movements of concern – in a way that is not just actionable within Pakistan but also an area that is actionable between our two countries,” State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said during a media briefing.

“We also agreed about preventing and deterring terrorist groups and the work that can be done in that place, such as counter-IED [improvised explosive device] investigations, technical assistance at Pakistan’s western border, and other issues.”

The latest round of the Counterterrorism Dialogue was held against the backdrop of a surge in militant attacks in Pakistan by a proscribed network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose leadership is reportedly based in neighboring Afghanistan.

Officials in Islamabad have frequently complained in recent months the Afghan interim administration in Kabul is not doing enough to clamp down on TTP militants and prevent them from launching attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan was contingent upon several guarantees from the Taliban, one of which was that the Taliban would not allow any group or individual to use Afghan soil to threaten the security of the United States and its allies.

The agreement was signed in February 2020 in Doha, Qatar, and included commitments by the Taliban to sever ties with militant organizations like Al Qaeda.

The State Department official was also asked about a drone attack in South Waziristan in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province this week that killed at least four villagers. However, he did not answer the question.

“I don’t have anything for you on that,” he said. “I’d refer you to my colleagues at the Pentagon.”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Tuesday rejected “baseless” and “unhealthy” remarks by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other members of his cabinet regarding Pakistan’s nuclear program, Kashmir dispute and other regional issues, which came during campaigning for ongoing elections in India.

Pakistan has been a key topic of speeches by Indian leaders during campaign rallies, with Modi and top leaders from his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making strong statements about their South Asian neighbor.

At an election rally in Bihar this week, Modi indirectly referred to National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah’s remarks about Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities and said he would make Pakistan “wear bangles.”

Noting the “alarming” surge in anti-Pakistan rhetoric, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said it rejected the “irresponsible statements” by Indian leaders about the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, counter-terrorism efforts, bilateral relations and Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities.

“Regrettably, these statements reflect an unhealthy and entrenched obsession with Pakistan and reveal a deliberate intent to exploit hyper-nationalism for electoral gains. These also signify a desperate attempt to deflect attention from mounting domestic and international criticism,” Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a Pakistani foreign office spokesperson, said in a statement.

“The bravado and jingoism exhibited by Indian leaders expose a reckless and extremist mindset. This mindset calls into question India’s capacity to be a responsible steward of its strategic capability. On the other hand, the purpose of Pakistan’s strategic capability is to safeguard its sovereignty and defend its territorial integrity.”

Baloch noted that Pakistan had clearly demonstrated its resolve to defend itself in the past and would not “hesitate to do so in the future should the Indian side choose to embark on a misadventure.”

About Indian Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s claim that Azad Kashmir was part of India, she said Jammu and Kashmir was an internationally-recognized disputed territory and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions clearly mandated a plebiscite in the territory for its final determination.

“No amount of inflated Indian statements can change this reality,” Baloch said. “India should, therefore, focus on implementing these resolutions instead of indulging in fantasies of grandeur.”

The Himalayan territory of Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, with both countries ruling part of the territory but claiming it in full.

The western portion of the larger Kashmir region is administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entity, while India rules the southern portion as a union territory.

Baloch urged Indian politicians to stop dragging Pakistan into their domestic politics for “electoral gains” and to handle sensitive strategic matters with “utmost caution.”

“We call upon the international community to take note of Indian leadership’s belligerent rhetoric, which poses a grave threat to regional peace and stability,” she said.

“The vision of peace, progress, and prosperity in South Asia can only be realized through the peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir, and a shift from confrontation to cooperation.”