Shehbaz Sharif thanks Trump for 'acknowledging' Pakistan's role in counter terrorism efforts

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday thanked US President Donald Trump for “acknowledging and appreciating” Pakistan's role in counter terrorism efforts after the country arrested a leading terrorist.

Trump thanked the Pakistani government for “helping arrest" Mohammad Shareefullah, also known as “Jafar”, who supported and conducted activities on behalf of ISIS-K in support of multiple lethal attacks, including the Abbey Gate attack in 2021.

The attack on the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) on August 26, 2021, took place when American and other Coalition military forces were conducting an evacuation operation at the airport as part of a larger operation to conclude US combat operations in Afghanistan.

The attacks came just days after the Taliban took over Kabul.

Sharif in a post on X said the terrorist, an Afghan national, had been apprehended in an operation along the border with Afghanistan.

“We thank US President Donald Trump for acknowledging and appreciating Pakistan's role and support in counter terrorism efforts across the region, in the context of Pakistan Security Forces’ recent apprehension of ISKP’s top tier operational commander Shareefullah, who is an Afghanistan national,” Sharif said.

The prime minister added the “wanted terrorist was apprehended in a successful operation conducted in the Pakistan-Afghan border region”.

“As is well-known, Pakistan has always played a critical role in counter-terrorism efforts aimed at denying safe havens to terrorists and militant groups or the space to operate against any other country,” he highlighted.

The prime minister said Pakistan “will continue to partner closely with the US in securing regional peace and stability”.

“We remain steadfast in our resolve and unwavering commitment to combating terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations. In this effort, Pakistan has rendered great sacrifices, including the lives of over 80,000 of our brave soldiers and citizens,” he said.

“The resolve of our leadership and our people remains unflinching in eradicating the menace of terrorism from our country. We will continue to partner closely with the US in securing regional peace and stability.”

Trump in his first address to the Congress said the person responsible for killing 13 US service members during the US' withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 had been arrested with the help of Pakistan.

“Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity, and he is on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice,” the US president told the Congress.