US Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Senator John McCain on Sunday acknowledged Pakistan’s army’s efforts in inflicting heavy losses to militants, but said that Taliban were still a threat in the region.
In a statement released after the committee members’ meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday, McCain thanked the army chief’s for his leadership and expressed appreciation “for the sacrifice of so many brave Pakistani soldiers” in the fight against terrorism.
The statement read: “I appreciate General Sharif meeting with members of the Senate Armed Services Committee this week. The meeting was productive and informative to all members of the Committee. We value our relationship with Pakistan during these very challenging times. Members believe that the fight against the Taliban is far from over and the Taliban continues to play a key role in the region. Under the leadership of General Sharif, the Pakistani Army has inflicted losses to the enemy at great sacrifice. Our meeting focused on the situation in Afghanistan, the fight against ISIL, and ways to improve coordination and cooperation between our two countries against our terrorist enemies. Going forward, I hope we will continue working closely together in the interest of both our countries.”