US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended his country’s ties with Pakistan, saying they are part of a “mature foreign policy,” while asserting that Washington’s association with Islamabad does not come at the expense of its deep and historic relationship with India.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended his country’s ties with Pakistan, saying they are part of a “mature foreign policy,” while asserting that Washington’s association with Islamabad does not come at the expense of its deep and historic relationship with India.
“I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship or friendship with India, which is deep, historic, and important,” Rubio told reporters on Saturday.
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He described US ties with Pakistan—India’s hostile neighbour—as part of a “mature, pragmatic foreign policy,” adding that New Delhi also maintains relations with countries that are not allies of the United States.
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Rubio noted that the US has a long history of partnering with Pakistan on counterterrorism and related issues. “We’d like to expand it beyond that, if possible,” he said.
His remarks came amid rising concerns over the growing proximity between US President Donald Trump and Pakistan’s leadership, including the country’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir.
Earlier this year, Trump hosted General Munir at the White House just days after a four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 26 innocent civilians.
India had squarely blamed Pakistan for the attack, and General Munir is believed to have played a role in it. Last month, Munir also accompanied Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to a meeting with Trump at the Oval Office.
More recently, during the Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh on October 13, Trump referred to Munir as his “favourite general.”
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