WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee this week, US Army Gen. Michael E. Kurilla, who commands US Central Command (CENTCOM), called Pakistan a “phenomenal partner” in counterterrorism. This comes as diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan remain high due to recent attacks in the region.
Gen. Kurilla made these remarks on June 10 in Washington. He pointed out the complexities of U.S. strategic relationships in South Asia. He praised Pakistan’s military and its top commander, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for a fierce campaign against ISIS-Khorasan. This effort resulted in the deaths of dozens of militants and the capture of at least five high-value targets.
Among those captured, Gen. Kurilla mentioned Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as Jafar. He was a key figure in the August 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport, which killed 13 U.S. troops. Kurilla noted that Field Marshal Munir told him about Jafar’s capture and informed U.S. officials that Pakistan was ready to extradite him.
“Pakistan has been a vital counterterrorism partner,” Gen. Kurilla explained to lawmakers. “They have a real threat to face, and they are handling it seriously.”
Gen. Kurilla reported that since the start of 2024, over 1,000 terrorist incidents have taken place in Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of about 700 security personnel and 2,500 civilians. He added that ISIS-K and other terror groups mainly target the Pakistani Army along the Afghan border.
Kurilla emphasized the importance of maintaining close U.S. relationships with both Pakistan and India. “I don’t believe it is an either-or situation. We can have a relationship with Pakistan while also having one with India.”
His comments come amid rising diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan following the April terror attack in Pahalgam, located in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. India has accused Pakistan of hosting terror groups that operate along the border—a claim Islamabad has denied. During a press briefing in Brussels this week, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar labeled Pakistan “Terroristan,” stating that India fights against terrorism, not against ordinary Pakistani citizens.
While addressing the European media, Jaishankar also promoted India’s diplomatic and economic engagement with the European Union. After meeting with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic, he announced significant progress in free trade agreement discussions.
“I acknowledged the progress made in our talks towards a comprehensive and meaningful FTA agreement between India and the EU,” Jaishankar said in Brussels on June 11. “We agreed this would strengthen our strategic partnership, which is quickly evolving.”
Sefcovic described their meeting as “valuable” and expressed interest in further discussions with India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. The two have been working on a broad deal to boost bilateral trade, which reached nearly $130 billion in 2024, according to EU statistics.
Jaishankar also met with European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikela to talk about advancements in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). This major connectivity project links India to Europe through the Middle East.
“Our discussion focused on enhancing India-EU interaction in connectivity, IMEC, green shipping, and clean energy,” Jaishankar stated. “Today’s signing of our trilateral cooperation agreement will benefit the Global South.”
The External Affairs Minister is on a week-long diplomatic trip to France, Belgium, and the EU headquarters in Brussels, aiming to strengthen economic and strategic ties with European allies.
