US will continue conversation with Pakistan because of support to Afghan peace process: Pentagon

WASHINGTON: The US government will continue to engage with Pakistan due to the country’s significant role in the Afghan peace process, says a Pentagon official.

David F Helvey, the assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific Affairs, told the Senate Armed Services Committee this on Saturday.

Helvey was asked a question by Senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, about his "assessment of Pakistan" and its intelligence agencies and the role expected by both in the future.

“Pakistan has played an important role in Afghanistan. They supported the Afghan peace process. Pakistan also has allowed us to have overflight and access to be able to support our military presence in Afghanistan,” Helvey responded.

According to a Dawn report, Pakistan has always allowed overflights and ground access to the US to facilitate its military presence in Afghanistan and will continue to do so.

On Saturday, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told lawmakers in New York that Pakistan was seeking a broad-based, strategic partnership with America, which would also cover Afghanistan.

He had emphasised on the need for “a broad-based strategic partnership” in the interest of both countries.

Last month, US President Joe Biden announced to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by September 11 this year.

The US and the Taliban signed a landmark deal in Doha on February 29, 2020 to bring lasting peace in war-torn Afghanistan and allow US troops to return home from America's longest war.