Nawaz Sharif assures Obama action against Lashkar

At the invitation of President Obama, Prime Minister Sharif paid an official visit to Washington from Oct 20 to 23,  that reinforced the commitment of both leaders to an enduring U.S.-Pakistan partnership, a prosperous Pakistan, and a more stable region. 

 

President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif held wide-ranging discussions at the White House today. The two leaders expressed their conviction that a resilient U.S.-Pakistan partnership is vital to regional and global peace and security and reaffirmed their commitment to address evolving threats in South Asia.

 

President Obama condemned the Dec 2014 terrorist attack by the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in which 140 school children were killed.

 

The leaders discussed the importance of continued cooperation against terrorists and violent extremist groups. President Obama affirmed Pakistan’s role as a key counterterrorism partner and recognized the "sacrifices that Pakistani civilians, military, and law enforcement personnel have made over the years as they confront terrorism and militant groups." 

 

"The President expressed particular appreciation for Pakistan’s ongoing support to degrade and ultimately defeat al‑Qa’ida and its affiliates, noting that this partnership has helped to decimate the group’s leadership and operational capacity and has disrupted plots against the U.S. homeland. The President also honored the sacrifices of the Pakistani security forces in Operation Zarb-e-Azb and other operations, which have degraded the ability of militants to plan and execute terrorist attacks and noted further steps being taken in this regard in line with the National Action Plan. In turn, the Prime Minister thanked the United States for its support in bolstering Pakistan’s counter-terrorism capacity," said their joint statement.

 

President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif stressed that improvement in Pakistan-India bilateral relations would greatly enhance prospects for lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.