Pakistan stands like 'wall between terrorism and the world': Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi

Islamabad: Pakistan stood like a "wall between terrorism and the world", Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday as he met a US Congressional delegation and discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, security and counter-terrorism.

US Congressional delegation comprising Jack Bergman, Thomas Richard Suozzi, Jonathan L Jackson and other senior officials met Naqvi here.

The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest with a focus on advancing cooperation in economy, trade, investment, security and counter-terrorism, an official statement said.

The interior minister said that terrorism is a global challenge and the international community needs to fully cooperate with Pakistan and highlighted that Pakistan stood as a "wall between terrorism and the rest of the world”.

The minister said Pakistan's "sacrifices in the war against terrorism are matchless" and this visit of US Congressmen will be significant in highlighting Pakistan's role in counter-terrorism.

The US delegation, the first high-level congressional visit in almost two years, met Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday and discussed ideas to promote relations between the two countries.

The meeting focused on strengthening Pakistan-US bilateral relations, particularly in the realm of development cooperation and future collaboration across various sectors, another statement said.

Iqbal said that in the realities of new geopolitics, there is a need to establish a new equilibrium in Pak-US relations based on the ground realities, mutual trust and development-focused partnership.

A strong partnership between both countries contributes significantly to regional stability and global peace, especially in a volatile global environment, he noted.

Iqbal highlighted the need to have an understanding of Pakistan's socioeconomic challenges in the aftermath of the two US-led wars in the region.

He also briefed the delegation about the burden of over 3.5 million refugees for over three decades, the importance of the Fulbright Scholarship Program, and also referred to the 2022 devastating floods, which caused an economic loss of over $30 billion.

The minister stressed the need to establish a new foundation in bilateral ties focused on development, especially in education, energy, climate change, infrastructure, and information technology.

He proposed more cooperation in the education sector, urging the importance of the "Pak-US Knowledge Corridor" and the establishment of campuses of top-tier American universities in Pakistan. He also urged for collaboration in climate resilience and disaster preparedness.

The US delegation stressed the need to engage the private sector to unlock investment opportunities and build investor confidence.

The congressional delegation arrives at a time when Pakistan is struggling to mitigate the effects of new US tariffs. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that he will send a high-level delegation to the US to address the issue.

The Trump administration imposed a 29 per cent tariff on Pakistan. However, the country has ruled out any retaliatory tariffs to counter the impact of the US move.

Pakistan and the US shared a complex set of ties that have fluctuated in different directions but remained steady despite creeping mistrust and the transactional nature of relations.

Security and the fight against terrorism have been the dominant feature of relations since 9/11. President Donald Trump last month hailed Pakistan’s role in arresting a terrorist responsible for a 2021 bombing in Afghanistan that killed 13 US service members.