US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington fully understands Pakistan’s terrorism concerns linked to Afghanistan. He added that the United States is ready to play any meaningful role to improve the situation. He made the remarks at a news conference in Atlanta.
What Rubio Said About Terrorism in Pakistan
Rubio said the United States is fully aware of the terrorism Pakistan faces from Afghanistan. He also said Washington understands Islamabad’s security concerns. As a result, the US is willing to help in any meaningful way.
Speaking in Atlanta, Rubio admitted that Pakistan is deeply worried about militant attacks. According to him, these attacks are planned or backed from Afghan soil.
He also described Pakistan’s position. Pakistan says the Taliban have not taken enough steps to stop cross-border terrorism. Therefore, Pakistan says it has had to carry out retaliatory action.
Rubio made the US position clear. He said the United States opposes all forms of terrorism, whoever the target is. He added that Washington will gladly play a positive and meaningful role if it can help solve the issue.
Why Pakistan–Afghanistan Relations Are Tense
Rubio’s statement comes at a sensitive time. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s interim Taliban government are extremely strained.
Islamabad has repeatedly made the same allegation. It says militants of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have safe havens in Afghanistan. It also says they carry out deadly cross-border attacks from there.
The Afghan Taliban reject these allegations completely. In their view, law and order in Pakistan is an internal matter. They also say they do not allow Afghan soil to be used against any country.
What Experts Say About the US Role
Diplomatic and security experts say Rubio’s remarks show a shift. They believe Washington is again giving importance to its ties with Islamabad under a South Asia counterterrorism framework.
The United States does not have direct, close ties with the Kabul government. However, the experts say this development could bring two possible results.
First, it could increase Pakistan–US intelligence and technical cooperation. Second, the US could raise pressure on the Afghan Taliban through international financial and diplomatic channels.
In addition, this kind of international backing could strengthen Pakistan’s argument. Pakistan says cross-border terrorism is an international security problem.
However, there is a risk. If the Taliban do not cooperate, border tension and economic disruption could rise further. This possibility cannot be ruled out.
What to Watch Next
Watch for any US steps on intelligence sharing, any new diplomatic pressure on Kabul, and responses from Islamabad and the Taliban. We will update this story as new details emerge.
