WASHINGTON:
The US Department of Defence has informed Congress that the military-to-military cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan is having a positive impact on the fight against terrorism.
In its latest report to Congress, the Pentagon noted that “the role of Pakistan remains critical to stability in Afghanistan”.
The DOD said that since President Ashraf Ghani’s inauguration, Afghan and Pakistani leaders have conducted several high-level engagements and engaged in a cooperative security dialogue, “representing a promising trend for regional security”.
The Pentagon informed US lawmakers that the Dec 16 terrorist attack on a school in Peshawar had made both countries realise that they need to cooperate on shared security interests.
“Afghanistan and Pakistan also share mutual concerns over the potential emergence of ISIL elements in the region,” the report added.
The report pointed out that plans for future engagement between the two militaries have also been gaining momentum.
According to the report, during the Operation Khyber II launched in December 2014 the Pakistani military attempted to coordinate bilaterally with Afghan military representatives instead of through US or coalition channels.