ISLAMABAD: A senior American official acknowledged on Tuesday Pakistan was facing militant threat from armed groups in Afghanistan following attacks on security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province earlier this month, though he denied US forces had left behind any weapons in the war-torn state before withdrawing in 2021.
US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communication John Kirby issued the statement in response to a question about the recent spike in militant violence in Pakistan, with specific focus on one of the deadliest attacks against the army in which 23 soldiers were killed in Dera Ismail Khan on Dec. 12.
According to media reports, the militants who targeted the military post were armed with advanced American weapons, including assault rifles and night vision devices.
“Pakistan remains a key partner in the region,” Kirby said during a news conference in Washington. “They continue to face a viable terrorism threat across that border.”
“But let me remind you,” he continued. “We didn’t just leave a bunch of weapons in Afghanistan. This is a fallacy. This is a farce.”
He reiterated that US forces trained and equipped Afghan National Security Forces during 20 years of American presence in Afghanistan with congressional approval and consultations.
Kirby noted that when the Taliban made advances, Afghan soldiers decided not to fight but simply to lay down their arms.
“The arms that you’re talking about … belong to the Afghan National Security Forces,” he added.
Earlier this year in September, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar also blamed the US for leaving military equipment behind in Afghanistan, saying this had created a new security challenge for Islamabad since it now had to deal with militants with sophisticated weapons.
Pakistan also summoned the top Afghan diplomat to the foreign office to lodge protest against the attack in Dera Ismail Khan.
US says groups in Afghanistan posing militant threat to Pakistan after spike in violent attacks
https://arab.news/m2ng5
US says groups in Afghanistan posing militant threat to Pakistan after spike in violent attacks
- A top American official, John Kirby, describes Pakistan as Washington’s ‘key partner’ in the region
- He says weapons used by militants targeting Pakistani security forces belonged to Afghan army
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan discuss green initiatives, climate cooperation in Riyadh
- Pakistan seeks Saudi support for desert reclamation, afforestation and carbon-offset projects as climate risks intensify
- Both countries signed an MoU in 2022 covering environmental areas ranging from biodiversity to air-quality monitoring
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Tuesday discussed enhancing cooperation on environmental and climate action, with a particular focus on the Kingdom’s Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, during talks between senior officials in Riyadh.
Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Masood Malik, as the two sides reviewed avenues for collaboration on climate change and related international efforts, according to an official statement released in Riyadh.
The Saudi Green Initiative is the Kingdom’s national climate program aimed at cutting emissions, expanding renewable energy and planting billions of trees, while the Middle East Green Initiative, launched in 2021, seeks to coordinate regional action on climate change, including large-scale afforestation and land restoration across the Middle East and North Africa.
Malik told Arab News in an interview in July his ministry was seeking Saudi Arabia’s support for comprehensive climate projects, including desert reclamation, afforestation and carbon-offset initiatives, as Islamabad grapples with worsening climate-related challenges.
“Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Member of the Council of Ministers, and Envoy for Climate H.E. @AdelAljubeir received Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Masood Malik,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a social media post.
“During the meeting, the two sides discussed avenues for cooperation in environmental and climate change,” it added. “They also reviewed the Kingdom’s initiatives in this regard, particularly the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, as well as international efforts addressed in this regard.”
Pakistan has about 4.2 million hectares of forest and planted trees — roughly 4.8 percent of its land area — according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, and is focusing on combating desertification through afforestation, water management and sustainable agricultural practices.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has positioned itself as a leading player in global climate diplomacy.
Pakistan, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kingdom in 2022 to cooperate in nine environmental areas, including pollution control, nature protection, forestry, biodiversity, desertification, hazardous waste management, marine conservation, air-quality monitoring and environmental training exchanges.
Malik is currently visiting Riyadh to attend the 11th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), a UN platform that promotes dialogue, tolerance and interfaith harmony.
Pakistan’s embassy said he reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to countering intolerance and racism and reiterated support for UNAOC initiatives while addressing the forum.
