Joe Biden’s administration says it expects to resume military-to-militaryties with Pakistan. The nominated Defense Chief, General Lloyd J. Austin,declared Pakistan as an essential partner in any peace process inAfghanistan and underscored the need for military cooperation between thetwo countries.
Continuing to build relationships with Pakistan’s military will provideopenings for the United States and Pakistan to cooperate on key issues.
His remarks came during his confirmation hearing before the United StatesSenate Armed Services Committee.——————————
The Defence Secretary-to-be said that Pakistan is an essential partner inany peace process in Afghanistan, and added that if confirmed, he wouldencourage a regional approach that garners support from neighbors likePakistan.
When asked about his approach to the Pak-US relationship, General Austin,who is a former head of the US Central Command, said:
I will focus on our shared interests which include training future Pakistanmilitary leaders through the use of International Military Education andTraining funds. Pakistan will play an important role in any politicalsettlement in Afghanistan. We also need to work with Pakistan to defeat AlQaeda and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) and to enhanceregional stability.
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When asked if he sees any improvement in Pakistan’s cooperation withAmerica since the Trump administration had withheld its securityassistance, General Austin responded in affirmative.
Yes, Pakistan has taken constructive steps to meet US requests in supportof the Afghanistan peace process. The country has also acted againstanti-Indian groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, althoughthis progress is incomplete.
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In response to a question about whether America will manipulate Pakistaninto getting its demands met, the nominated Defense Chief affirmed thatPakistan is a sovereign country and cannot be forced into decision-makingthat favors the United States.
I will, however, press Pakistan to prevent its territory from being used asa sanctuary for militants and violent extremist organizations.
General Austin underscored the need for strong military ties with Pakistanthat will increase the cooperation on key issues between the two countries.