ISLAMABAD: There was recognition from the United States on Tuesday, that the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) are terrorist organisations that in the current threat environment endanger the safety of Pakistani citizens and create instability in the region.
The US concern came up during the Fourth US-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue on August 4, 2026, in Washington, DC, led by US Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ambassador Gregory LoGerfo and Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Special Secretary Ambassador Nabeel Munir.
“The United States and Pakistan affirmed their joint resolve to confront terrorist organisations that endanger the safety of their citizens and the stability of the region, including ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), Al-Qaeda, the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its affiliates. The two governments committed to ensuring their counterterrorism collaboration to keep both of their nations safe and secure, and as part of an enduring vision of regional peace, prosperity and stability,” said the joint statement issued after the meeting.
The US-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue was revived in 2023, in Islamabad, which focused on shared threats, joint regional security concerns regarding militant groups, terror financing, evaluating cooperative methods to stop funding networks for terrorist organisations, and sharing operational experiences and strategies for counter-terrorism capacity building.
“Tuesday’s dialogue underscored shared interests in the US-Pakistan counterterrorism partnership and the two countries’ determination to confront terrorism. Delegations exchanged views on the current threat environment, explored avenues to enhance collaboration, and discussed steps to strengthen border security and disrupt terrorist facilitation networks,” added the joint statement.
Meanwhile, the 9th round of Pakistan-Australia Senior Officials’ Talks was held in Canberra on August 4, 2026. The Pakistan delegation was led by Ambassador Dr Syed Ali Asad Gillani, Additional Foreign Secretary (Asia Pacific), while the Australian delegation was headed by Ms Sarah Storey, First Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asia Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
“They also exchanged views on regional and international developments and discussed enhanced coordination at multilateral fora. The additional foreign secretary briefed the Australian side on Pakistan’s efforts to de-escalate the crises in the Middle East and the regional situation in South Asia, including the situation in the IIOJK and India’s continued violation of the Indus Waters Treaty,” said the Foreign Office.
The senior officials talks were followed by the 10th round of the Australia-Pakistan Joint Trade Committee held in Canberra on Tuesday.
The Pakistan side was led by Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul Khawaja, while the Australian side was led by Sarah Storey.
“The two sides discussed bilateral trade and investment cooperation, with particular focus on enhancing collaboration in key sectors, including agriculture, livestock, IT, mining and services. They also exchanged views on improving market access and addressing trade-related issues, particularly those relating to Pakistan’s textile products,” said the statement.
The discussions further covered evolving global trade dynamics, their implications for bilateral trade and opportunities for strengthening cooperation within multilateral trading frameworks, including the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
“The discussions provided an opportunity to take stock of progress in bilateral relations, identify new avenues for collaboration, and reinforce the momentum towards a mutually beneficial partnership,” added the Foreign Office.
Meanwhile, in a separate meeting, Pakistan and the United States have made significant progress on the proposed reciprocal trade agreement between the two countries; however, no date could be given for its finalisation.
One of the top negotiators from Pakistan told ‘The News’ on Wednesday that both sides made progress toward striking a reciprocal trade framework agreement, as the Pakistan’s delegation led by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb made renewed efforts to finalise this framework agreement.
Pakistan has also sought $10 billion under a stabilisation exchange programme, just like the pattern of Argentina, but apparently there was not much progress on it so far.
According to an official announcement, Aurangzeb Wednesday held a meeting with US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer to review progress on the ongoing negotiations aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation between both countries.
Recalling the recent discussions in Washington DC, the finance minister welcomed the steady progress made by the respective negotiating teams and appreciated the constructive engagement that has characterised the dialogue over time. Both sides noted that negotiations on the proposed reciprocal trade framework have advanced significantly and reaffirmed their shared commitment to concluding the agreement at the earliest.
During the meeting, the finance minister highlighted the importance of maintaining the momentum of negotiations in view of Pakistan’s economic priorities. He emphasised that a strengthened trade and investment partnership with the US would contribute to Pakistan’s export-led growth strategy, support economic resilience, and create greater commercial opportunities for businesses in both countries. He also underscored the importance of continued collaboration with the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) to facilitate bilateral trade and investment.
Ambassador Greer acknowledged Pakistan’s continued engagement throughout the negotiations and appreciated the progress made on labour and regulatory reforms, including measures relating to forced labour compliance. He reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to sustaining the positive trajectory of bilateral trade discussions and expressed confidence that the remaining issues could be resolved through continued technical engagement. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved and agreed to continue working closely to finalise the remaining elements of the framework.
The meeting was also attended by Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul and senior US officials.
