Pakistan, US reaffirm joint resolve against terrorism at Washington dialogue
Pakistan and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to deepen counterterrorism cooperation and confront terrorist groups, including ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), al-Qa’ida (AQ), the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), during the fourth round of the US-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue held in Washington on Tuesday.
The joint statement, issued by the two governments on Wednesday, said the meeting underscored the two countries’ “shared interests in the US-Pakistan counterterrorism partnership” and their “determination to confront terrorism” amid the evolving regional and global threat landscape.
According to the statement, the dialogue was led by US Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ambassador Gregory LoGerfo and Pakistan’s Special Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Nabeel Munir.
The two delegations “exchanged views on the current threat environment, explored avenues to enhance collaboration, and discussed steps to strengthen border security and disrupt terrorist facilitation networks”, the statement said.
It added that the US and Pakistan affirmed their “joint resolve to confront terrorist organisations that endanger the safety of their citizens and the stability of the region,” specifically naming ISIS-K, AQ, the TTP, and the BLA, along with its affiliates.
According to the statement, both governments also committed to ensuring their counterterrorism cooperation continued “to keep both of their nations safe and secure,” describing the partnership as part of “an enduring vision of regional peace, prosperity, and stability.”
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In a separate statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said the two sides had held “extensive deliberations on the regional and global terrorist threat” during the fourth round of the dialogue in Washington.
Pakistan and the U.S. convened the Fourth Round of Counterterrorism Dialogue in Washington D.C. The two sides held extensive deliberations on the regional and global terrorist threat and pledged to deepen counterterrorism collaboration both bilaterally and at multilateral fora. pic.twitter.com/h6Vvxr5gNm
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 5, 2026
It said Pakistan and the US pledged to “deepen counterterrorism collaboration both bilaterally and at multilateral fora,” reaffirming their commitment to sustained engagement on security issues.
The statement came amid a sharp peak in terrorist violence in Pakistan in July. During the month, over 112 security personnel were martyred while resisting insurgent forces nationwide. Concurrently, intensified counterterrorism efforts led to the elimination of 401 terrorists.
The surge, alongside a persistent civilian death toll averaging dozens of casualties monthly, underscored relentless cross-border infiltration from the western frontier. Compounding the crisis, hostile actors continued to exploit internal safe havens by collaborating with groups like the TTP and BLA.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), in a report released in February, also drew attention to a series of attacks by the banned BLA against Pakistani security forces and projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
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“On September 16, 2025, the BLA ambushed a Pakistani military convoy patrolling the corridor, killing 32 troops. While counterterrorism operations by Pakistan restricted the BLA’s operational space, it remained active.”
The report added that some member states reported that the BLA collaborated with the TTP and ISIL-K through shared training camps and resources, coordinating attacks and meetings between commanders. Some member states assessed that there was neither an association nor growing ties between the BLA and AQ or ISIL.
It further highlighted that various groups in Afghanistan had acquired modern weapons and equipment through cross-border smuggling and black-market trade. “TTP used advanced assault rifles, night-vision devices, thermal-imaging devices, sniper systems and drone attack systems. Most of these were provided by the de facto authorities in conjunction with weapons permits and travel documents,” it said.
The UNSC report said “some BLA attacks showed a high degree of complexity and brutality”, citing the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on March 11, 2025, which killed 31 people, including 21 hostages.Read More
