The United States administration has sought a “strong” partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism and expected a “sustained action” against all militant and terrorist groups.

“We look forward to the cooperative efforts to eliminate all regional and global terrorist threats,” US State Department Principal Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said during the press briefing on Tuesday.

The statement comes a day after the administration backtracked from President Joe Biden’s “dangerous Pakistan” statement and concerns over the country’s nuclear assets. “The United States is confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its ability to secure its nuclear assets,” the State Department said on Monday.

However, Patel acknowledged that a “few countries have suffered from terrorism like Pakistan and have a shared interest in combating threats to regional instability and regional security like the TTP.”

Ned Price, the State Department spokesperson, had sought similar cooperation while defending the administration’s decision to notify Congress of the foreign military sales to Pakistan worth $450 million to upgrade F-16 jets.

“Pakistan’s F-16 program, it’s an important part of the broader US-Pakistan bilateral relationship, and this proposed sale will sustain Pakistan’s capability to meet current and future counterterrorism threats by maintaining the F-16 fleet,” Price said on September 13.

President Biden’s statement was not intentional: Senator Chris Van Hollen

US Senator Chris Van Hollen was of the view that State Department’s Monday press briefing clarified that President Biden’s statement was not “intentional”.

“President Biden’s statement was spontaneous,” he told reporters during an event in Maryland. “There is no change in the American policy.”

US President Joe Biden during an address at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Reception on Friday said: “And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion.”

Hollen added that he along with other lawmakers was trying to convince the US president to give Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Pakistani nationals currently residing in the US due to this year’s unprecedented floods.

The legislation was planned for TPS, he said, adding that it might take time as a presidential order could be issued. But efforts were under way.

“We are interested in a stable relationship with Pakistan. Bilateral ties have increased after joint efforts to deal with the situation after the floods. The US is in contact with Pakistan’s administration for the assistance of flood victims,” Hollen said.

Moreover, Counselor of the Department of State Derek Chollet with Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Masood Khan to discuss bilateral ties.

“Always glad to meet Ambassador Masood Khan to discuss US-PAK longstanding partnership & further grow our ties in so many areas including health, agriculture, education, entrepreneurship, energy & more for the benefit of our peoples & the region,” Chollet said in a tweet.

Masood also shared the development in a tweet. He said that high-level visits, people-to-people exchanges and effective communication would continue to fortify relations.