Pakistan

November 17, 2009 -- Washington - Rep. Ron Kind returned Sunday from a congressional fact-finding trip to Pakistan - a weeklong visit that comes at a time when the Obama administration is turning up the heat on Pakistan to do more to fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban.

The trip also comes as President Barack Obama prepares to unveil a new strategy for Afghanistan that could include a significantly increased troop presence in the region.    » read more »

Washington, DC -- October 28, 2009 -- Following her meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad today, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a contribution of $125 million for the first phase of a Signature Energy Program in Pakistan aimed at increasing electricity output and conserving wasted energy and money.

The funding will be aimed at repairing generation facilities, improving the overall effectiveness of local utilities providers, replacing inefficient tube well pumps and promoting energy efficiency.

The six projects announced by Secretary Clinton today will begin reducing the frequency of electricity blackouts, that interfere with commerce and have plagued the Pakistani economy.

These six projects include:    » read more »

10/14/2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today at a joint press availability, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry, House Foreign Relations Chairman Howard L. Berman and Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi announced the release of a joint explanatory statement to accompany Senate Bill 1707, the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009.

Chairman Kerry made the following remarks at today’s press availability:    » read more »

October 7, 2009 -- (Washington, DC) - U.S. Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, tonight issued the following statement:

“I’ve noted with concern the recent debate in Pakistan concerning the legislation recently passed by the U.S. Congress to strengthen our partnership with Pakistan and to aid that country with some of its most pressing domestic and security concerns.    » read more »

May 27, 2009 -- "Thank you, Tim, for that introduction, and my thanks to the Foreign Policy Association for inviting me to be here tonight. It is an honor to speak to the members of an organization who have added so much to our nation’s foreign policy debate over the years.    » read more »

Corker, Lieberman, Graham Amendment Requiring Progress Reports on Afghanistan/Pakistan Included in Supplemental Appropriations Bill

May 21, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), along with Senators Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), successfully added language to the supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 2346) requiring the Obama administration to submit an initial report to Congress on the benchmarks for U.S. policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan and regular progress reports thereafter towards achieving those objectives. Corker voted for the supplemental which passed the Senate by a vote of 86-3.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- James S. Brady Press Briefing Room -- MR. GIBBS: A renewed guest appearance. Thank you all for coming. As we talked last week here, you all know the national security priority that Pakistan is for this administration. President Obama asked all those in the administration to respond quickly to the conditions that we're seeing now in the Swat Valley and in Pakistan. And I will turn it over to the Secretary of State for an announcement on that.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much, Robert. And I appreciate the opportunity to provide some information about what our government and the people of the U.S. are doing with respect to the humanitarian crisis that is affecting Pakistan.    » read more »

Vilsack Discusses Agriculture Assistance with Pakistan and Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2009-Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans for $27.5 million in international assistance under USDA's Food for Progress Program for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Vilsack made the announcement at a meeting with Afghanistan's Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock H.E. Mohammad Asif Rahimi and Pakistan's Minister for Food, Agriculture, and Livestock Nazar Muhammad Gondal while meeting to identify potential areas of agricultural cooperation and collaboration among the three countries. The commodity donations will benefit an estimated 3 million people in rural areas of both countries.    » read more »

May 6, 2009 -- James S. Brady Press Briefing Room -- MR. GIBBS: All right, guys, let's come to order here. In an effort to keep you on your toes and to prevent the normal boredom of having to listen to me each and every day, we have a special guest, the Secretary of State, to give us a readout on her meetings this morning with President Karzai and President Zardari.

Madam Secretary.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, Robert. You know, I successfully avoided this room for eight years. (Laughter.) But I'm very pleased to be here to discuss the series of meetings that we had this morning as part of our second trilateral with delegations from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and this time led by their respective Presidents.    » read more »

May 6, 2009 -- James S. Brady Press Briefing Room -- MR. GIBBS: Here for the p.m. edition of the White House briefing.

Q Make this a habit.

MR. GIBBS: Yes -- keep you guys busy.

The President has obviously concluded the meetings with President Karzai and President Zardari. And as promised, we'll give a -- get a readout from General Jones, the President's National Security Advisor.

General.

GENERAL JONES: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I'm pleased to be here to talk a little bit about the meetings that were held this afternoon that you've already heard quite a bit about. I'd just like to add a couple of points to those that have been already been made.    » read more »

August 18, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - "President Musharraf has made the right decision to step down as President of Pakistan. It is in the interests of his country and the Pakistani people to end the political crisis that has immobilized the coalition government for too long. I have long said that the central terrorist threat to the United States lies in northwest Pakistan and Afghanistan, and not Iraq.

US policy must focus on assuring that all elements of Pakistan's government are resolute in shutting down the safe havens for al Qaeda and the Taliban. There can be no safehaven for terrorists who threaten the American people.    » read more »

21 August 2008 -- Authorities in Pakistan say at least 15 people have been killed in two explosions outside a weapons factory Thursday.

The blasts occurred simultaneously at two gates outside the military facility in the town of Wah. Several people were also wounded in the explosions.

Preliminary reports suggest the explosions were caused by two suicide bombers.

Pakistani security has been engaged in a growing battle with Islamic militants based in tribal regions along the Pakistani border.

Source: VOA News

June 24 – July 6 Tournament Includes National Cricket Teams from India, Pakistan, UAE, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka

June 23, 2008 -- ESPN has reached an agreement to provide exclusive, live coverage of the 2008 Asia Cup Cricket Tournament on ESPN360.com in the U.S. and its territories. The six-team, 13-match biennial tournament features several of the world’s powerhouse national teams – including one of cricket’s fiercest international rivalries, India and Pakistan - and will be played June 24 through July 6 in Pakistan.    » read more »

16 June 2008 -- Pakistani police say a bomb has exploded outside a Shi'ite mosque in the country's northwest, killing at least four people.

The bomb went off in the city of Dera Ismail Khan Monday as worshipers were leaving the mosque after evening prayers.

The explosion destroyed parts of the mosque and wounded at least two people.

Police say they suspect the bomb was on a timer. They do not know who planted the device.

Dera Ismail Khan in North West Frontier Province has a history of sectarian violence.

Last month, gunmen killed at least six Shi'ite Muslims in two suspected sectarian attacks in Dera Ismail Khan.    » read more »

16 June 2008 -- Afghanistan's president has threatened to send troops after Taliban militants who take sanctuary in neighboring Pakistan. Analysts say the threat is somewhat hollow. But it does increase the danger of a miscalculation along the Pakistan-Afghan border.

Analysts discount that President Hamid Karzai would actually be able to follow through on his threat to dispatch troops into Pakistan in hot pursuit of Islamic militant fighters. They point out that the Afghan National Army is still relatively weak and that most military and security functions in Afghanistan are handled by NATO forces.

Hilary Synnott, a former British ambassador to Pakistan, also says the NATO security forces policing Afghanistan would try to head off any such action.    » read more »