Washington (TDI): US Central Command (Centcom) Chief General Michael Kurilla has lauded Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counter-terrorism, acknowledging its efforts to combat threats posed by militant groups like Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Speaking during a hearing before the US House Armed Services Committee, Gen. Kurilla highlighted Pakistan’s role in regional security, particularly in Balochistan and along its border with Afghanistan.
He credited Pakistan with apprehending several “high-value” IS-K operatives, including Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as Jaffar, one of the key figures behind the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport.
Kurilla noted that Pakistan acted effectively even with “limited intelligence” provided by the US “We’re seeing an effect on ISIS-Khorasan,” he added.
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His remarks come amid an ongoing series of counter-terrorism dialogues between Islamabad and Washington.
The last round was held on May 10 in Washington, where both sides reaffirmed cooperation on shared security concerns. Another session is scheduled for later this month.
The Centcom commander emphasized that Pakistan remains in an “active counter-terrorism fight,” noting over 1,000 terrorist incidents in western Pakistan since the start of 2024.
He said the Pakistani security forces have taken aggressive action to combat IS-K and similar threats.
“They have been a phenomenal partner in the counter-terrorism world,” Kurilla reiterated.
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He also stressed the importance of maintaining balanced relations in South Asia, saying the US must have ties with both India and Pakistan.
“It’s not a binary switch,” he said. “We should look at the merits of the relationship for the positives that it has.”
In April, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held his first phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where both sides expressed interest in expanding cooperation, particularly in counter-terrorism.
According to the Foreign Office, Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to a strong partnership with the US and highlighted the country’s successful operations against terrorism between 2013 and 2018.
Rubio, in turn, praised Pakistan’s past and ongoing efforts and expressed a desire to deepen cooperation in this domain.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
