Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

Government of Pakistan in building and maintaining the capability of its security forces to
conduct counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations throughout the frontier regions that
are in our mutual interest. PCCF has enabled us to provide critical equipment and training to
improve capabilities for the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Frontier Corps, including counterimprovised
explosive devices, night operations, and precision strike. In addition, better equipped
security forces will continue to facilitate Pakistan’s efforts to support our shared interest in
ensuring a stable, secure, and prosperous region as we approach the transitions of 2014.
Measures to ensure that assistance has the greatest long-term positive impact on the
welfare of the Pakistani people and their ability to counter terrorism. Roughly half of U.S.
civilian assistance is implemented via Pakistani partners, including the Government of Pakistan
and private sector actors when practicable. This is done to strengthen local capacity and increase
sustainability, providing the greatest possible long-term impact of U.S. assistance on the welfare
of the Pakistani people. Increasingly, the Administration is also implementing public-private
partnerships in health and economic growth programs to engage the private sector as a long-term
partner in Pakistan’s development.
COUNTERTERRORISM COORDINATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA
The United States and Saudi Arabia have a strong bilateral relationship. Multiple high-level
visits in 2012 deepened this relationship at the personal and institutional level and enabled senior
officials from both countries the chance to discuss means of improving coordination. In 2012,
then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon, then-
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John O. Brennan, director
of FBI Robert Mueller III, and Deputy Secretary of Treasury Neal Wolin, each visited Saudi
Arabia, meeting with King Abdullah and other Saudi officials.
Like other countries in the region, Saudi Arabia sought to find meaningful economic and civic
opportunities for its people, over 65 percent of its population is under 25 years old. The King has
clearly enunciated an economic development agenda, and Saudi Arabia made progress in
addressing economic sources of social discontent, such as housing scarcity, a low public sector
minimum wage, and the lack of a private sector unemployment benefit. The King Abdulaziz
Center for National Dialogue continued to promote tolerance and respect for diversity through its
dialogue and awareness-raising programs. In October, as an extension of Saudi Arabia’s efforts
to promote tolerance and dialogue, the Saudi government, in cooperation with the Governments
of Spain and Austria, launched the King Abdullah International Centre for Interreligious and
Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna to offer a permanent platform for dialogue between the world’s
major religions.
The United States continued to support the Saudis in the reforms they are undertaking by
facilitating Saudis studying in the United States and other educational exchanges; by
encouraging increased bilateral trade and investment, and urging Saudi Arabia to take actions
necessary to attract job-creating partnerships with U.S. companies; and by targeted programming
in such areas as judicial reform, local governance, and women’s entrepreneurship. The United
States encouraged the Saudi government to take concrete steps to increase opportunities for civic
participation; in September, the Saudi government held municipal council elections (delayed
since 2009); also in September, King Abdullah announced that women would be allowed to
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