WASHINGTON: The United States and Pakistan have a close partnership on regional peace, security, prosperity and stability and the two countries continue to work in many areas, including counterterrorism, a State Department spokesperson said here on Thursday.



Ms. Heather Nauert, a State Department spokeswoman, made these comments while replying to a question about a policy review that the State Department was doing on Pakistan. She was asked why State Department was doing a policy review on Pakistan.



Ms. Nauert dispelled the impression as if the policy review was Pakistan-specific. “Goodness, I should, show you our list of policy reviews taking place, because there are plenty. There’s the Iran policy review; theres the Afghan policy review; Pakistan policy review is one of them.”



The spokesperson stated that the State Department was beginning an interagency review toward US policy on Pakistan. “Its part of an ongoing broader review of our national strategy for South Asia, which includes Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other countries”.,She said.



“The United States and Pakistan have a close partnership on regional peace, security, prosperity, and stability. And we continue to work with the Government of Pakistan on areas many areas of mutual interest, including counterterrorism,” she added.



Meanwhile, at the White House briefing, Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, while responding to a question about the recent powers given to the Pentagon to decide the troops, level in Afghanistan said that it was part of a broader cohesive plan for that region.



She said that President Trump wanted to give Secretary of Defense, Retired General Jim Mattis the ability to manage the troops and the resources to do so in Afghanistan. She did not say as to how many troops, President Trump wants to see added to the US forces in Afghanistan.



Replying to a question about a recent defense deal worth $21 billion US entered with Qatar, the Deputy Press Secretary stated that the common security between all the regions was a top priority for the United States.