Pakistan a ‘Phenomenal Partner' in Counterterrorism, Says US Centcom Chief; Urges Strong Ties With Both India, Pakistan

The Wire

a day ago

New Delhi: The Commander of the United States Central Command (Centcom), General Michael Kurilla described Pakistan as a 'phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world,' crediting Islamabad with a series of successful operations against ISIS-Khorasan and advocating for continued US engagement with both Pakistan and India.
His comments come at a time when India has been working to persuade the international community that Pakistan remains at the centre of terrorist activity. Following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, the Modi government has sent parliamentary delegations across the world to lobby with government officials, lawmakers and civil society actors to directly condemn Pakistan and push for its diplomatic isolation.
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on June 10, Kurilla's comments were part of a wider argument that US strategy in South Asia should not be limited by zero-sum thinking. 'We have to have a relationship with Pakistan and with India,' he said. 'I do not believe it is a binary switch that we can't have one with Pakistan if we have a relationship with India. We should look at the merits of the relationship for the positives that it has.' 'Pakistan continues to hunt ISIS-K'
These remarks came at the end of a broader response on ISIS-Khorasan, which he described as one of the most active terrorist organisations currently attempting to conduct attacks around the world, including against the US.
He noted that through a 'phenomenal partnership' with Pakistan, dozens of ISIS-K fighters had been killed, and five high-value individuals had been captured, including Mohammad Sharifullah 'Jafar' , believed to be involved in the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul.
'…the first person he called, (Pakistan) Chief of the Army staff (Asim) Munir was me and said, 'I've caught him. I'm willing to extradite him back to the United States. Please tell the Secretary of Defense and the President'.'
In his written testimony , Kurilla further stated that 'Pakistan continues to hunt ISIS-K in their border areas, executing dozens of operations to kill and capture multiple leaders, including the mastermind of the Abbey Gate attack that claimed 13 American lives.'
He also highlighted the arrest and extradition of Mohammad Sharifullah, calling it evidence of 'Pakistan's value as a partner in countering CASA terror EXOPs threats worldwide.' He added that it will 'and it will only increase as the Taliban continues to face security challenges within its borders'.
During his first speech to Congress after beginning his second term , US President Donald Trump only mentioned Pakistan positively. While he criticised several countries for imposing high tariffs on US exports, he praised Pakistan for capturing and extraditing the terrorist involved in the attack that killed 13 US troops during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Following last month's military exchanges between India and Pakistan, Trump also publicly claimed credit for helping bring about a ceasefire. This statement drew irritation in New Delhi, but no strong protests, which has long opposed any third-party involvement in Kashmir. Trump has also not condemned Pakistan for the terror attack, frequently equating both New Delhi and Islamabad, and even stating that Pakistan has ' very strong leadership '. 'They are in an active counterterrorism fight right now'
Despite recent success in degrading ISIS-K capabilities, Kurilla warned that the group remains a potent threat with ambitions beyond the region. 'These are the same individuals that did the Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow. They did the attack in Kerman, Iran, and they've attempted other attacks,' he said.
He added it continues to manoeuvre along the Afghan-Pakistan border. 'Sometimes they'll try and go back into Afghanistan. We have the means to be able to collect, but for the most part right now they're hanging out right in that border area of Pakistan,' he said.
General Kurilla also referenced the heavy toll that terrorism has taken on Pakistan itself, noting that 'in the beginning of 2024, Pakistan had over 1,000 terrorist attacks in the western area, killing about 700 security [personnel] and civilians and [leaving] 2,500 wounded.'
'They are in an active counterterrorism fight right now, and they have been a phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world,' he said, praising Pakistan again.
His assessment stands in stark contrast to the Indian position, as articulated again by External affairs minister S Jaishankar has insisted that Operation Sindoor targeted Pakistan's terror infrastructure directly.
In an interview with a Brussels-based media outlet , he was asked why India's narrative was not resonating more strongly in international circles. 'Let me remind you of something – there was a man named Osama bin Laden. Why did he, of all people, feel safe living for years in a Pakistani military town, right next to their equivalent of West Point? I want the world to understand – this isn't merely an India–Pakistan issue. It's about terrorism. And that very same terrorism will eventually come back to haunt you,' he said on Wednesday.
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