WASHINGTON: The United States has showered praises saying that it will not forget the “critical assistance that Pakistan provided” in rescuing a North American couple from the grasps of the Haqqani network.
“I want to be clear on saying how grateful we are to the government of Pakistan. Without their assistance, this would not have been made possible,” said US State Department’s spokesperson Heather Nauert, adding that, ““It was critical, and we will certainly not forget that.”
Starting to develop a much better relationship with Pakistan and its leaders. I want to thank them for their cooperation on many fronts.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2017
The White House recorded in a separate statement, that the Haqqani network had captured Caitlin Coleman, an American citizen, and her husband, Joshua Boyle, a Canadian from a mountain near Kabul back in 2012 and kept them in their custody for almost 5 years.
Ms. Nauert also commented on improving relations between the US and Pakistan at a Thursday afternoon news briefing. Both the countries were close allies in the war against terrorism; their relations began to tense up after a US raid on Osama bin Laden’s hideout in 2011 and deteriorated further after President Trump’s Aug 21 speech in which the new strategy for South Asia was announced by him.
“Our overall relationship with Pakistan …We’ve certainly had points where that relationship has had some challenges. That relationship isn’t going to just turn around overnight, but this is a terrific step in the right direction,” said Ms. Nauret as she went on to explain the current status of Washington’s relations with Islamabad.
On Pakistan’s role in the rescue operation, she said, ““The Pakistani military, acting on information that we provided, was able to secure the release of this family. We are tremendously happy to have these folks returning, coming home.”
ISPR chief Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, while in conversation with reporters in Islamabad, said that “no prisoner exchange or ransom money” was involved in freeing the hostages.”
When asked to confirm the ISPR’s statement, the State Department’s spokesperson said that she was in no position yet to confirm or deny it.
