US to resume military training for Pakistan, security assistance remains on hold
US to resume military training for Pakistan, security assistance remains on hold
WASHINGTON: The Donald Trump administration has approved resumption of its military training programme for Pakistani security personnel at the American institutions, a top American diplomat said here on Friday.nnHowever, the overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect, the diplomat said.nn
#Pakistan's Chief of Staff General Bajwa and I spoke today about U.S. defensive action to kill Qassem Soleimani. The #Iran regime’s actions in the region are destabilizing and our resolve in protecting American interests, personnel, facilities, and partners will not waver.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 3, 2020
nnPresident authorized the IMET for Pakistan, the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Alice G Wells, tweeted on Friday, the day Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke over phone with the Pak Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss the situation in the region in the aftermath of the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards.nnIt will “strengthen” military to military cooperation between the two countries on “shared priorities,” she said.nnThe Trump administration had in August 2018 suspended the more than a decade-long International Military Education and Training (IMET) programme for Pakistani personnel at the US institutions, days after Islamabad and Moscow signed an agreement to allow Pakistani troops to receive training at the Russian defence centres.nnSource: Press Trust of India
