Addressing the threats due to improvised explosive devices (IED) to NATO forces, the US has asked Pakistan to do more to stop the flow of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) into Afghanistan.
The fertiliser, a precursor of IEDs, is said to be responsible for the largest number of US casualties in Afghanistan.
“For us working to save the lives of our forces in Afghanistan by addressing the threats of IEDs has been and continues to be a critical priority for us in our discussions with Pakistan. We’ve been clear that Pakistan, both the government and industry, must do more to prevent the flow of calcium ammonium nitrate into Afghanistan,” Patrick Ventrell, the State Department spokesperson told reporters.
Acknowledging that there has been some recent progress greater cooperation between a company in Pakistan that produces CAN and greater cooperation between the US and Pakistan in this regard, he said this is something that the US has been working on for some time.
“We’d like to see some further concrete action,” Ventrell said.
“This has been a top priority for us. We’ve been clear that Pakistan must do more. We’ve seen some initial progress. It is something that’s really at the top of our agenda,” he said.
As we got our working groups back up and going as our relationship got back on track, one of the top things, one of the top working groups we got going again was this IED working group. So we’ve made some progress,” the spokesman said.
