Pakistan has played a pivotal role in US counterterrorism efforts over the years, but it has never been a formal ally bound by treaty obligations, senior White House official John Kirby has clarified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This nuanced positioning underscores the delicate and complex nature of US-Pakistan relations, shaped by shared security concerns and divergent strategic priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At a Washington briefing<\/a>, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby candidly addressed the nature of the US-Pakistan relationship, highlighting the absence of any formal defence pact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPakistan was never a technical ally of the United States. I mean, there was no treaty of alliance with Pakistan,\u201d he stated in response to a question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite this, Kirby emphasised the long history of cooperation between the two countries, particularly in combating terrorism in the volatile Afghanistan-Pakistan border region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCertainly, over many, many years in the last couple of decades, we partnered with Pakistan as appropriate to deal with the terrorist threat<\/a> that still exists on that spine between Afghanistan and Pakistan,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In August last year, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel had reaffirmed<\/a> the US\u2019s commitment to preventing groups like the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from using Afghanistan as a base for launching terrorist attacks against neighbouring countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next month, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller asserted that the US would continue to stand \u201cshoulder to shoulder with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A US State Dep\u00adar\u00adtment report<\/a> released in December noted<\/a> that Pakis\u00adtan has made substantial progress in countering terrorist financing and addre\u00adssing regional extremist networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the most recent bilateral engagement, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and outgoing US Ambassador Donald Blome discussed strategies<\/a> for addressing global challenges such as terrorism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, Kirby also acknowledged the human cost of terrorism in Pakistan, recognising that its citizens continue to suffer from cross-border violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe recognise that Pakistan is still \u2014 still the Pakistani people fall victim to terrorist violence coming from across that border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd we have, and for as long as we\u2019ll be in office here, remain committed to working with Pakistan to address those common threats and challenges. And that\u2019s not \u2014 that hasn\u2019t changed. It\u2019s not going to change,\u201d Kirby said during the briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the interior ministry<\/a>, 351 civilians and 573 law enforcement agencies (LEAs) personnel lost their lives in 1,566 terrorism incidents in the first 10 months of 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This acknowledgement reflects a broader trend in the Biden administration\u2019s policy toward Pakistan: a focus on shared security challenges while steering clear of deeper strategic commitments. Washington\u2019s reluctance to treat Pakistan as a formal ally mirrors its broader approach to avoiding entanglement in Pakistan\u2019s internal political dynamics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, when asked to comment on alleged firing<\/a> at a PTI rally on November 26, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller maintained a measured stance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe want to see any protests be peaceful, and we want to see the government of Pakistan, as is true with any government around the world, engage with peaceful protests respectfully and to deal with them peacefully,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This careful approach extends even to strategic issues such as Pakistan\u2019s missile programme. Last month, when the US sanctioned<\/a> three Pakistani firms for their alleged involvement in supporting the country\u2019s missile programme, Deputy Spokesperson Patel clarified<\/a> the rationale behind the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese sanctions that we made in Pakistan are rooted in, as I have said now three times, our longstanding concerns about their long-range ballistic missile programme. It is not a bearing on other areas of cooperation between us and Pakistan,\u201d Patel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Biden administration\u2019s messaging, therefore, signals a deliberate effort to balance criticism with the preservation of a functional working relationship, particularly in counterterrorism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, the Pentagon has consistently highlighted<\/a> its close ties with Pakistan\u2019s military establishment. Spokesperson Major General Patrick S. Ryder, for instance, emphasised the enduring nature of this relationship while discussing counterterrorism efforts at a recent briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe value Pakistan as a partner in the region and have worked closely with Pakistan on counterterrorism efforts in the past and will continue to have those conversations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>\u2018Will remain committed to working with Pakistan on common threats\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n