Launching Fresh Counterterrorism Effort, Pakistan Requests Renewed US Military Aid
Experts say the aid, which was frozen six years ago amid accusations that Pakistan was harboring terrorists, is unlikely to be renewed
[Islamabad] Pakistan’s military has launched a full-scale offensive to curb the resurgence of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, as well as other armed groups. Pakistan requested small arms from the US to assist in the new counterterrorism initiative.
The decision to crack down on TTP comes after a significant surge in terrorist incidents, including those on Pakistani security forces. A statement from the prime minister’s office described the goal of the new operation as combatting “the menaces of extremism and terrorism comprehensively and decisively.”
Pakistan experienced a six-year high in terrorism fatalities last year, primarily in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. So far this year, Pakistan has recorded over 300 terrorism-related deaths, including dozens of security personnel killed in counterterrorism operations.
Most of the terrorist attacks have been claimed by TTP, a group banned by Pakistan and considered a global terrorist organization by the US.
TTP is ideologically aligned with the Taliban in Afghanistan, and Pakistan has repeatedly accused Kabul of harboring TTP terrorists. A recent UN statement reported that TTP is currently the largest terrorist organization in Afghanistan and that TTP members carry out cross-border attacks on Pakistani security forces with the support of the Taliban. The Afghan Taliban has consistently denied such claims.
Amid the rising terrorist threat, Pakistani Ambassador to the US Masood Khan urged Washington to provide small arms and other advanced equipment to support the country’s counterterrorism efforts.
Addressing US policymakers, intellectuals, and corporate leaders at the Wilson Center in Washington, Khan emphasized the significance of maintaining robust security ties between Pakistan and the US, enhancing intelligence cooperation, and resuming and strengthening military equipment sales.
Pakistan provided the US with military bases for operations in Afghanistan and provided logistical support following the September 11 attacks.
Pakistan’s alliance with the US led to significant casualties for Pakistan, including lives lost to terrorist attacks. Afghan Taliban attacks since 2005 have killed more than 80,000 Pakistanis and injured millions more.
In recognition of Pakistan’s crucial role in the war on terror, the US significantly ramped up military aid to Islamabad.
This aid included advanced military equipment such as F-16 fighter jets, maritime patrol planes, antitank missiles, air-to-air missiles, C-130 tactical transport aircraft, attack helicopters, protective gear, first aid kits, modern surveillance systems, and armored vehicles.
US military aid to Pakistan primarily consisted of contributions through Coalition Support Funds (CSF), a form of funding established to reimburse countries for costs related to US military operations, intelligence sharing, and counterterrorism in Afghanistan and the wider region.
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In 2018, President Donald Trump suspended US military aid to Pakistan, accusing the country of providing safe havens for terrorists. Imran Khan, who was prime minister of Pakistan at the time, refuted Trump’s accusations, criticizing US strategy in Afghanistan and highlighting sacrifices Pakistan made for the sake of the war on terror.
Counterterrorism support for Pakistan has been frozen since Trump suspended aid six years ago. Allegations of irregularities and financial malfeasance regarding CSF distribution have also surfaced, but these matters seem to have been cleared up.
Before restoring military aid to Pakistan, the US wants to see greater financial transparency and assurances that the funds will be used effectively to combat terrorism and enhance regional stability.
Muhammad Shareh Qazi, a Lahore-based global security analyst with a focus on nuclear diplomacy in South Asia, said that US-Pakistan cooperation around counterterrorism has long been fraught.
The transfer and use of CSF funds have been one major issue, he told The Media Line.
Despite receiving $12 billion under CSF, the TTP challenge and resurgence of terrorism persisted because Pakistan felt the aid didn’t address regional challenges, while the US saw issues with utilization and accountability in Islamabad. This disconnect led to interrupted communication and a trust deficit, allowing smaller terrorist groups to thrive.
“Despite receiving $12 billion under CSF, the TTP challenge and resurgence of terrorism persisted because Pakistan felt the aid didn’t address regional challenges, while the US saw issues with utilization and accountability in Islamabad,” Qazi said. “This disconnect led to interrupted communication and a trust deficit, allowing smaller terrorist groups to thrive.”
Qazi said that recent statements from Pentagon leadership suggest that the US is not interested in renewing aid.
Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, also said that the US will likely deny Pakistan’s request for renewed military aid. After withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in 2020-2021, Washington is trying to avoid involvement in the region, Kugelman said.
“The US has lacked enthusiasm for investing substantial resources in counterterrorism activities, and this is an undeniable fact of the present time,” he told The Media Line. He also noted that the US is more interested in the activities of the Islamic State group – Khorasan Province (ISKP), a branch of the Islamic State group based in South-Central Asia, than in those of TTP.
Kugelman said that US support for Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts can take forms other than arms transfers or financial assistance. “The US can provide support by enhancing police capacity and training to enhance legal proceedings for investigating and prosecuting terrorists,” he said.
Historically, US aid has extended beyond financial support, Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud, an Islamabad-based regional defense and security analyst, told The Media Line.
“The United States provided significant assistance in counterterrorism efforts. Throughout the war on terror, American experts were present in Waziristan under the code name ‘Friends’ to train and conduct intelligence sharing, which enabled targeted operations against TTP and other terrorist groups,” he said. The US also provided Pakistan with night vision sniper rifles and set up counterterrorism departments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, he said.
He described the aid provided by the US during the war on terror as “significantly less comprehensive” than aid to Pakistan during the Cold War.
For instance, the US has declined to share its drone technology with Pakistan, despite successfully using drones to take out much of the top TTP leadership, Mehsud said.
Adrian Calamel, a New York-based senior fellow at the Arabian Peninsula Institute and an expert on South Asian terrorism and counterterrorism, said that the US does not view Pakistan as “a serious counterterrorism partner.”
After the Biden Administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, they blamed Pakistan to avoid scrutiny and pushed an ‘over the horizon’ policy, absurdly assuming the Taliban would become an effective counterterrorism partner.
“After the Biden Administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, they blamed Pakistan to avoid scrutiny and pushed an ‘over the horizon’ policy, absurdly assuming the Taliban would become an effective counterterrorism partner,” he told The Media Line. He said that the US doesn’t see TTP as a major issue to be dealt with, focusing instead on the potential threat of ISKP.
“For the US administration that considers ISKP as the threat and the Afghan Taliban as a counterterrorism partner, there will be little appetite for military aid to Pakistan,” he said.
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Haris Nawaz, a Karachi-based defense and security expert, called on the US to provide “practical support to the Pakistani army” rather than mere rhetoric.
The Americans must realize that the advanced weapons left by the US troops during the withdrawal are now in the hands of terrorists. These weapons are currently being used against Pakistani security forces, resulting in significant damage.
“The Americans must realize that the advanced weapons left by the US troops during the withdrawal are now in the hands of terrorists,” Nawaz told The Media Line. “These weapons are currently being used against Pakistani security forces, resulting in significant damage.”
