WASHINGTON: Pakistan has asked the United States to provide small arms and modern equipment to the country for the success of Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, a newly approved counter-terrorism initiative across the country.
The federal government recently gives green signal to reinvigorated national counter-terrorism drive, however, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif clarified that this initiative would not be a large-scale military operation and would not displace local populations.
“Pakistan has launched Azm-i-Istehkam […] to oppose and dismantle terrorist networks. For that, we need sophisticated small arms and communication equipment,” said Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Masood Khan while addressing US policymakers, scholars, intelligentsia, and corporate leaders at a Washington think tank, the Wilson Centre.
During a subsequent question-and-answer session, he elaborated that Azm-i-Istehkam comprises three components: doctrinal, societal, and operational. He noted that work on the first two phases had already begun, with the third phase set to be implemented soon.
He emphasised that Pakistan and the US should maintain strong security links, enhance intelligence cooperation, resume sales of advanced military platforms, and work on “the sustainment of US-origin defence equipment”.
“This is crucial for regional security and opposing the rising tide of terrorism that also threatens the interests of the US and its allies,” he added.
The ambassador observed that the prospects of Pakistan-United States relations were bright. “We share values, our security and economic interests are interwoven, and it is the aspiration of our two peoples that strengthens our ties,” said the Ambassador.
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