Marco Rubio meets Ishaq Dar, praises Pakistan on terrorism days after US designates LeT front TRF as global terror group. Photo/X.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday met Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Washington on Friday and praised Islamabad’s efforts to counter terrosrism while overlooking the Indian concerns,
Rubio expressed gratitude to Ishaq Dar for “Pakistan’s partnership in countering terrorism and preserving regional stability.” The two leaders also discussed ways to expand bilateral trade and strengthen cooperation in the critical minerals sector.
Rubio’s comments come shortly after the US announced its decision to designate the Tehreek-e-Furqan (TRF), a front organization linked to the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). TRF had claimed responsibility for the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians.
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Before Ishaq Dar’s visit to Washington, Islamabad indicated that the state of India-Pakistan ties would be part of the discussions. Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan had said on Thursday, “Exchange of views will also take place on the Pakistan-India question.”
The US has repeatedly claimed credit for facilitating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, a claim that New Delhi has denied multiple times but Islamabad has acknowledged.
Khan also expressed appreciation for the US role, saying, “we remain grateful for the role played by the US in de-escalation of tensions leading to ceasefire,” while briefing on Ishaq Dar’s agenda in the US.
India has consistently accused Pakistan’s government and military of involvement in cross-border terrorism and of providing support and funding to terrorist groups.
Following the Pahalgam attack and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the issue, stating, “While India believes in tourism, Pakistan considers terrorism as tourism, which is very dangerous for the world.”
He further challenged Pakistan’s leadership and people, saying, “I want to ask the people of Pakistan, what have they achieved? Today, India is the fourth largest economy in the world. But what is your situation? Those who promoted terrorism ruined your future.”
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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