Free Republic

WASHINGTON: The United States has defended its latest sale of military equipment to Pakistan, arguing the American weapons systems would enhance Islamabad's counterterrorism abilities. "This proposed sale of helicopters and weapons systems will provide Pakistan with military capabilities in support of its counterterrorism operations inside the country," State Department Acting Spokesperson Marie Harf said at the daily briefing. She was commenting on Washington's green light this week for provision of approximately $1 billion of arms, including Hellfire missiles and attack helicopters. The Obama Administration is notifying Congress 30 days of the sale. "We have a very close counterterrorism relationship with...

ISLAMABAD: In an attempt to curtail Pakistan’s severe energy shortage, China has agreed to build a pipeline bringing natural gas from Iran to Pakistan. The final deal is to be signed during the long-sought visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping to Islamabad in April, Pakistani officials said. Where most countries are unwilling to invest in Pakistan given the current situation, this deal is expected to mark China’s commitment towards the development of infrastructure in ally Pakistan. The pipeline would amount to a premature profit for both Pakistan and Iran due to the agreement between Tehran and the US and...