US President Donald Trump has praised the government of Pakistan for the safe recovery of a Canadian-American couple and their three children from Taliban captivity.
“This is a positive moment for our country’s relationship with Pakistan. The Pakistani government’s cooperation is a sign that it is honouring America’s wishes for it to do more to provide security in the region,” Trump said in a White House statement.
A still image from a video posted by the Taliban on social media on 19 December 2016 shows American Caitlan Coleman, left, speaking next to her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle and their two sons. PHOTO: REUTERS
The positive comments came after his August policy speech in which Trump criticised Islamabad’s efforts in war on terror, saying Pakistan would have to change its approach of supporting and harbouring certain militant outfits. However, Islamabad has rejected the allegations and says it could not be made scapegoat for failures in Afghanistan
Pakistan Army recovers US-Canadian family abducted in Afghanistan in 2012
The US incumbent president also said, “We hope to see this type of cooperation and teamwork in helping secure the release of remaining hostages and in our future joint counterterrorism operations.”
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistan Army in collaboration with intelligence agencies recovered on Thursday the captured couple and their children.
“They were captured by terrorists from Afghanistan during 2012 and kept as hostages there,” the ISPR added.
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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US expresses “deep gratitude” to Pakistan.
Canada hails release
Canada voiced relief at the release of a Canadian man, his American wife and their three children born in Taliban captivity.
“We are greatly relieved that after being held hostage for five years, Joshua Boyle and his wife Caitlan Coleman, as well as their young children, have been released and are safe,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland.
“Joshua, Caitlan, their children and the Boyle and Coleman families have endured a horrible ordeal over the past five years,” she added in a statement.
Freeland said Canada had been “actively engaged with the governments of the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan” in trying to free the couple, but provided no details.
The post Trump thanks Pakistan for ‘doing more’ appeared first on The Express Tribune.
Source: Tribune News | Trump thanks Pakistan for ‘doing more’
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