What led Donald Trump to thank Pakistan during his address to Congress?
Donald Trump thanked Pakistan for helping arrest Mohammad Shareefullah, linked to multiple attacks, including the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan.
US President Donald Trump, in his address to the joint session of Congress on Tuesday, thanked Pakistan for its assistance in the arrest of Mohammad Shareefullah, also known as "Jafar." The terrorist, linked to ISIS-K, was allegedly involved in multiple lethal attacks, including the Abbey Gate bombing during the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Abbey Gate attack, which took place on August 26, 2021, near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan, resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members and many others while US and coalition forces were conducting evacuation operations.
Trump reiterated that the US is “standing strong against the forces of radical Islamic terrorism.” He criticised the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, calling it "disastrous and incompetent" and labelling it “perhaps the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country.”
Trump said, “Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity, and he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice.”
Acknowledging Pakistan’s role, he added, “I want to thank especially the government of Pakistan for helping us arrest this monster. This was a very momentous day for those 13 families who I actually got to know very well, most of them whose children were murdered, and the many people that were so badly, over 42 people, so badly injured on that fateful day in Afghanistan. What a horrible day.”
Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif reacts
Following Donald Trump's acknowledgement of Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts, the country's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude on Wednesday. In a post on X, Sharif confirmed that the arrested terrorist, an Afghan national, was captured during an operation near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
“We thank US President Donald Trump for acknowledging and appreciating Pakistan's role and support in counter-terrorism efforts across the region, in the context of Pakistan Security Forces’ recent apprehension of ISKP’s top-tier operational commander Shareefullah, who is an Afghanistan national,” Sharif said.
He added that the “wanted terrorist was apprehended in a successful operation conducted in the Pakistan-Afghan border region.”
Highlighting Pakistan’s longstanding role in combating terrorism, Sharif said, “As is well-known, Pakistan has always played a critical role in counter-terrorism efforts aimed at denying safe havens to terrorists and militant groups or the space to operate against any other country.”
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working with the US, stating, “We will continue to partner closely with the US in securing regional peace and stability.”
Sharif added, “We remain steadfast in our resolve and unwavering commitment to combating terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations. In this effort, Pakistan has rendered great sacrifices, including the lives of over 80,000 of our brave soldiers and citizens. The resolve of our leadership and our people remains unflinching in eradicating the menace of terrorism from our country. We will continue to partner closely with the US in securing regional peace and stability.”
(With inputs from agencies)
