New Delhi: Pakistan on Wednesday (March 5) seized on President Donald Trump’s rare public acknowledgment of its extradition of an Islamic State militant linked to the killing of 13 US soldiers during the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, a move widely seen as an attempt to find common ground with the new administration in Washington.
In his speech to Congress on Tuesday in Washington D.C., Trump described the withdrawal of US troops as the “most embarrassing moment in the history of our country”.
He declared that “America is once again standing strong against the forces of radical Islamic terrorism” while recalling that “ISIS terrorists” killed 13 American service members in the Abbey gate bombing at the Kabul airport.
“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. And I want to thank especially the government of Pakistan for helping arrest this monster,” said Trump.
This was an unusual acknowledgment of gratitude from Trump in his first congressional address since the beginning of his second term and stood out in a speech in which he largely criticised other countries for imposing high tariffs on US imports.
While Pakistan was mentioned only once in the speech, India appeared twice – both times as part of a list of nations accused of placing “tremendously higher tariffs” on US goods.
The US president didn’t give any more details on the arrested person, but Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X that he was the “ISKP [Islamic State Khorasan Province]’s top tier operational commander Shareefullah, who is an Afghanistan national”.
“The wanted terrorist was apprehended in a successful operation conducted in Pakistan-Afghan border region,” he wrote.
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…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 5, 2025
The Pakistani premier thanked the US president for “acknowledging and appreciating Pakistan’s role and support in counterterrorism efforts across the region”.
“As is well-known, Pakistan has always played a critical role in counterterrorism efforts aimed at denying safe havens to terrorists and militant groups the space to operate against any other country,” he said.
Sharif added that Pakistan “will continue to partner closely with the United States in securing regional peace and stability”.
Trump’s gesture toward Pakistan is expected to offer some relief to Islamabad, which had been concerned that lobbying by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s overseas supporters to pressure the government into releasing jailed leader Imran Khan could strain ties.
After Trump finished his speech, FBI director Kash Patel said posted on X that the justice department, the FBI and the CIA “have extradited one of the terrorists responsible for the murder of the 13 American soldiers at Abbey Gate during the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal”.
US attorney general Pam Bondi also posted on X saying, “we hope this brings some closure to the families of the 13 American Heroes lost at Abbey Gate”.
A statement from the Pakistani foreign office said that US national security adviser Michael Waltz called Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday to convey Trump’s appreciation and thank the Pakistani government for its counterterrorism efforts.
While reaffirming Pakistan’s support for US counterterrorism initiatives, Dar also backed Trump’s plan to recover US military equipment left behind in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, according to the press note.
The two sides also reiterated their commitment to strengthening cooperation in the IT, energy and mineral sectors, the Pakistani foreign ministry stated.
According to Pakistani newspaper Dawn, Trump signalled that under his leadership, the US would prioritise security cooperation over political concerns – continuing past policies rather than making a significant shift.
“For the Pakistani establishment, this is a diplomatic victory. After years of friction, particularly following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and Washington’s growing alignment with India, this successful operation allows the establishment to reassert itself as Washington’s indispensable partner in the country,” the paper wrote.
US media outlet Axios reported that Trump had instructed newly confirmed CIA director John Ratcliffe to track down the perpetrators of the Abbey Gate attack.
Ratcliffe reportedly raised the matter during a phone call with Lieutenant General Asim Malik, chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and in a subsequent meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
After receiving specific intelligence from the CIA, Pakistan deployed an “elite unit” to capture Shareefullah. Ten days ago, Pakistan’s ISI chief held a joint phone call with Ratcliffe and Patel following the operation.
US officials told Axios that Washington views Shareefullah’s detention as a sign that Pakistan seeks to re-engage with the Trump administration on intelligence and counterterrorism, following years of strained relations between the two intelligence agencies.
