US resumes military training programme for Pakistan

WASHINGTON: In a major development, the Trump administration has announced the resumption of a training programme for Pakistan’s military officials.

“To strengthen mil2mil [military to military] cooperation on shared priorities & advance US national security, @POTUS authorized the resumption of International Military Education and Training #IMET for Pakistan,” US acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G. Wells said in a tweet.

“The overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect,” she added.

To strengthen mil2mil cooperation on shared priorities & advance US national security, @POTUS authorized the resumption of International Military Education and Training #IMET for Pakistan. The overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect. AGW

— State_SCA (@State_SCA) January 3, 2020

The announcement follows on the heels of a telephonic conversation between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa the other day.

They discussed a recent escalation in the Middle East following the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, ISPR had said in a statement on Friday.

COAS received telephone call from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Regional situation including possible implications of recent escalation in Middle East was discussed. (1of2).

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) January 3, 2020

Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, was killed early on Friday in a US airstrike on his convoy at Baghdad airport.

Mike Pompeo in a tweet on Friday said, “Pakistan’s Chief of Staff General Bajwa and I spoke today about US defensive action to kill Qassem Soleimani.”

“The Iran regime’s actions in the region are destabilising and our resolve in protecting American interests, personnel, facilities, and partners will not waver.”