ISLAMABAD: Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday called on the US to assure Pakistan of commitment to its security needs.
He urged the US to look beyond its checklist of requirements for cooperation on Pakistan’s security needs and instead think strategically about how it can support a democratic nation under pressure from the same terror groups that threaten regional security.
The former president, who has traditionally maintained good relations with the US, said that the Pak-US bilateral relationship has suffered tremendously over the last 15 years. “The struggle between Pakistan and the US over funding for the purchase of F-16 fighter jets lays bare how far apart the two countries have grown,” he said.
“What was once a strong partnership has frayed and is getting weaker,” he said. He expressed hope that the US State Department officials currently in Pakistan for meetings with top government officials will take this opportunity to assure Islamabad that they remain committed to supporting security needs.
