Pak under tremendous pressure and threat from terrorists: U.S.

Pak troops gather next to a burnt plane inside the naval aviation base following an attack by militants in Karachi on Monday.

Pakistan is under tremendous pressure and threat from extremist elements in the country which is reflected in the series of terrorist attacks including the latest one on the nation’s naval facilities, a State Department official said.

“It just illustrates that Pakistan is under enormous pressure and threat from these kinds of groups and they suffer considerably from this kind of violent extremism,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters on Monday.

Mr. Toner said that the recent terror attacks speak of the need for close counterterrorism cooperation in spite of some of the questions raised by the bin Laden raid.

“We condemn the attack (on Pak naval facilities). We can confirm that no US citizens were injured or killed in the attack on the Pakistan naval station in Karachi. We’re committed to working with Pakistan in a joint effort to combat this kind of violent extremism,” the spokesman said.

Noting that the U.S. and Pakistan are continuing with their cooperation in the counterterrorism field, he said U.S. has got a small military contingent of trainers that have been in Pakistan for some time working with the country’s military.

“That cooperation continues. We continue our close counterterrorism cooperation,” Mr. Toner said, adding that Pakistan has not asked for any special help or assistance from the United States so far.