From 'lies & deceit' to 'phenomenal partner': How US is rethinking Pakistan

Business Standard

2 days ago

Once dismissed as a haven for 'lies & deceit' by Donald Trump, Pakistan is suddenly back in America's good books — and not just diplomatically, but also as a reliable partner in the global fight against terror.
In a major shift from Washington's earlier stance, a top US military general has called Pakistan a 'phenomenal partner in the counter-terrorism world.'
US Centcom chief praises Pakistan's role against ISIS-K
General Michael 'Erik' Kurilla, Commander of the United States Central Command (Centcom), stunned many during a recent Congressional hearing by praising Pakistan's role in tackling the ISIS-Khorasan threat.
'They [Pakistan] have gone after ISIS-Khorasan, killing dozens of them,' Kurilla said, crediting Islamabad with capturing at least five high-value ISIS-K figures. One of them? Mohammad Sharifullah, aka Jafar — the man allegedly involved in the 2021 Kabul airport suicide bombing that killed 13 US troops.
'The first person they [Pakistan's Army] called was me,' Kurilla added, referring to Jafar's extradition to the US. 'I've caught him, I'm willing to extradite him back to the United States,' the Pakistani Army Chief reportedly told him.
Trump's 'lies & deceit' claim and the turnaround in US-Pakistan ties
For those who remember Donald Trump's fiery 2018 tweet, where he blasted Pakistan for giving the US 'nothing but lies & deceit' despite $33 billion in aid — Kurilla's comments mark a reversal.
Trump had written: 'They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan… No more!'
But times change. And so does geopolitics.
Pakistan battles surge in terrorism, says CENTCOM
According to Kurilla, Pakistan is not sitting idle. 'Since the beginning of 2024, they've endured over 1,000 terrorist attacks in the western areas, killing about 700 civilians and security forces,' he said. 'They are in an active counter-terrorism fight right now.'
This is not just rhetoric. Reuters reported that Pakistan has intensified operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and splinter ISIS cells. Intelligence cooperation with the US, though minimal, is back in motion.
US walks diplomatic tightrope between India and Pakistan
Kurilla also didn't shy away from the big elephant in the room — India.
'We have to have a relationship with both Pakistan and India. It can't be a binary switch,' he said, indirectly pushing back against the idea that the US must choose between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Indian opposition questions Modi government's foreign policy
Meanwhile, the General's remarks sparked a sharp response back in India.
Congress party leader Jairam Ramesh questioned the Narendra Modi government's foreign policy.
'The US CENTCOM Chief has just described Pakistan as a 'phenomenal partner in counter-terrorism'. What do our PM and his cheerleaders have to say about this? Is this not a diplomatic setback?' he wrote on X.