WASHINGTON: The United States has said it will stand with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism, and strongly condemned the bomb blast in Quetta that killed dozens of people. A US State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau said that Pakistan has said that they will go after all terrorists regardless of affiliation.
“We stand with Pakistan as they move forward on this fight against terror,” she said while referring the question on the military aid to Department of Defence. The spokesperson said that the US condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks in Quetta, including the murder of Balochistan Bar Association president Bilal Anwar Kasi in the bombing at the Civil Hospital that killed dozens of Pakistanis and wounded many others.
“We send our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, and we offer our assistance to Prime Minister Sharif as his government investigates and works to bring these murderers to justice,” she added. These terrorists targeted a hospital, the judiciary, and the media, the most important pillars of democracy, the spokesperson said, adding that these brutal and senseless attacks only deepen shared resolve to defeat terrorism around the world.
“We’ll continue to work with our partners in Pakistan and across the region to combat this threat.” Responding to a question about a report regarding threats of nuclear warfare, she stated that the US believed that regional safety and security was the responsibility not only of Pakistan and India but also the broader international community. She said that violence was a concern for the US but issues like this were best resolved through dialogue between the two countries.
The United States has expressed concern over the violence in Srinagar and other parts of the disputed state of Jammu Kashmir where Indian troops killed about 70 locals during the past month.
