US Congressmen told about Pakistan's concerns on regional security

ISLAMABAD: A four-member bipartisan delegation of the Sub-committee on Defence of the United States House Appropriations Committee (US-HAC) held meetings with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry in Islamabad on Friday. The delegation was led by the Sub-committee Chairman Congressman Rodney P Frelinghuysen. Pakistan-US bilateral relations including economic‚ security and counter-terrorism issues‚ as well as the regional situation were discussed, a release stated. Foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhry highlighted Pakistan’s focus on economic and energy sectors. Pakistan’s commitment to promote relations with its neighbours for regional security and stability were also discussed. The foreign secretary stressed on the importance of Pakistan’s relations with the United States and appreciated US assistance to counter terrorism. The US congressmen acknowledged the importance of Pakistan-US relationship, especially in the current international scenario, and voiced support for consolidation of democracy in Pakistan. The US side also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for countering terrorism and its role in the promotion of regional peace and stability‚ especially in the backdrop of US drawdown from Afghanistan during the current year. Meeting with finance minister Minister of Finance Ishaq Dar briefed the US-HAC delegation about the role, mandate and functioning of Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance. The minister underscored the government’s emphasis on three specific areas of development focus: “Economy, Energy and Security” in the wider context of regional and international situation as well as sharing an update on bilateral relations. He reiterated that clearance of Coalition Support Funds (CSF) from USA needed to be streamlined and quickened to meet regional political exigencies. It was placed on record that Pakistan’s ongoing financial stringencies in the wake of instant security situation in the Af-Pak Region needed special attention by both the countries in post-allied forces withdrawal in 2014 onwards. It was impressed upon the visiting USA-HAC delegation that Pakistan did have noticeable concerns in the context of ongoing complex regional security situation which primarily constituted Pakistan’s current democratic government’s political focus for peace to be given a fair chance. Dar brought home to the visiting USA-HAC delegation the enormity of Pakistan’s human and economic loss in the wake of ongoing war on terror. He underlined that the political government and the armed forces in Pakistan are on one page in prioritising strategic options to curb terrorism and attain the mutually-shared goals of peace in the region. The US delegation expressed its fullest understanding of the untold sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in terms of loss of human life and persistent setbacks to national economy. The delegation assured the Pakistani side to continue to work for supportive efforts to scale down all procedural impediments in order to streamline CSF processing. The Pakistani side, led by Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, also presented a political review of Af-Pak situation in post-Nato and USA forces withdrawal that did merit strategically worked out prudent handling, taking stock of historical political factors relating to a difficult geographical terrain in the region. It was stressed that Pakistan and USA needed to join their efforts leading to a compact strategic deliberations process which did have a positive political forecast resulting in political and economic stabilization in Af-Pak Region. The minister emphasised that both the countries needed to re-focus their strategic considerations in the region and mutually work for political and economic rehabilitation of a war-torn part of South West Asia. The present democratic government in Pakistan shared its commonality of views with its USA counterparts beyond 2014 in terms of bilaterally useful alliances which also took into account all political, economic and military dimensions of a complex situation in the region, the minister added. The Pakistani side further impressed upon its American counterparts the significance the people of Pakistan attached with cherished moderate value system that did merit deeper understanding by USA government and the people both. Rodney Frelinghuysen appreciated Pakistani citizen’s social diaspora in USA, describing it entrepreneurial, dynamic and energetic which usefully is contributing to USA’s political economy in all sectors of development. He assured the finance minister of USA’s continued support that would focus mutually beneficial work for peace and stability in the Af-Pak region through a package of political and economic support that is bilaterally identified. The Ambassador of USA to Pakistan Richard Olson also attended the meeting.