Pakistan FM, US NSA discuss counterterrorism, economic ties in first state-level contact under Trump

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with U.S. National Security Adviser Michael Waltz on Tuesday, marking the first state-level contact between Washington and Islamabad since President Donald Trump took office in January.

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Waltz conveyed Trump’s appreciation for Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts. Dar congratulated Waltz on assuming office and reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to working with Washington on counterterrorism cooperation.

Dar also welcomed Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. military equipment left in Afghanistan. The two officials agreed to enhance cooperation in IT, energy, and mineral sectors, while reaffirming the need for continued dialogue on trade, investment, climate change, and health.

The Foreign Office statement came hours after Trump thanked Pakistan for helping arrest the person responsible for killing 13 U.S. service members during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Trump said the suspect, identified as Sharifullah, is being extradited to the United States. He made the announcement during his first address to Congress since taking office on Jan. 20.

"Three-and-a-half years ago, ISIS terrorists killed 13 American service members and countless others in the Abbey Gate bombing during the disastrous and incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan ... Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity, and he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice. And I want to thank especially the government of Pakistan for helping arrest this monster," Trump said.

Joe Biden, Trump's predecessor, did not speak with former Prime Minister Imran Khan or his successor, Shehbaz Sharif.

Flashback: What happened?

Trump mentioned the Abbey Gate bombing at the end of his speech. The suicide bombing occurred on Aug. 26, 2021, at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, as U.S. forces were evacuating Afghanistan. The attack also killed 170 Afghan civilians at Abbey Gate, one of the airport’s entrances.

According to U.S. officials and media reports, Pakistan recently acted on CIA intelligence and captured a senior Islamic State commander, Sharifullah, who is accused of planning and executing the bombing.

In April 2023, the Taliban killed an unnamed senior leader of IS-Khorasan, the IS affiliate in the region. He was believed to have played a key role in the Abbey Gate bombing, although the Biden administration did not publicly share details at the time.

Trump said in his address that he had directed newly appointed CIA Director John Ratcliffe in January to prioritize Sharifullah’s capture.

Behind the scenes

According to U.S. media reports, when Ratcliffe took office, he raised the issue in his first call with Pakistan's spy chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik. However, officials at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington declined to confirm or deny the contact.

The CIA had reportedly been monitoring Sharifullah for some time and recently obtained specific intelligence about his location. The agency shared the information with Pakistan’s spy agency ISI, which deployed a special unit to capture him near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The next phase of Sharifullah’s extradition is being overseen by FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Breakthrough in strained relations?

The cooperation between officials of both countries could serve as a breakthrough after years of strained relations between U.S. and Pakistani intelligence agencies.

In addition to this counterterrorism success, the Trump administration recently announced the release of $397 million in funding for Pakistan's F-16 fighter jet program.

This funding aims to bolster Pakistan's counterterrorism and counterinsurgency capabilities and is part of a broader $5.3 billion aid package prioritizing security and counternarcotic programs.