WASHINGTON: The United States has reiterated its support for Pakistan`s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks, even as the United Nations struggles to maintain consensus on its core global counterterrorism framework.

`The Pakistani people have suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists,` the US State Department said, according to a statement reported by Reuters.

Washington `supports Pakistan`s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks` as an intermittent conflict between Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan continues, the department added.

The remarks follow Pakistan`s action on Sunday night against terrorist infrastructure along the Afghan border. The military operations were a direct response to a terrorist attack on a local headquarters of the Pakistan Rangers Sindh in Karachi`s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area.

In February, US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker expressed similar support, saying Washington `continues to monitor the situation closely` and backs Pakistan`s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks.

The brief State Department note comes amid the ninth review of the UN Global Counterterrorism Strategy (GCTS), a global framework adopted in 2006 and periodically reviewed to guide international cooperation against terrorism.

Breaking with the traditional consensus-based adoption of the strategy at the UN General Assembly, the US voted against the resolution and pushed for a recorded vote.

Despite US objections, the General Assembly adopted the ninth review on July 1 with 140 votes in favour, including Pakistan, after consensus could not be reached.

The US, Israel and Argentina voted against the resolution. Japan abstained, but its delegate later stated the abstention was a technical error and the delegation intended to vote in favor. Washington criticised the draft as `bloated, outdated, and unfocused`, saying it diluted priorities with excessive, nonoperational language and ignored US concerns.

Conversely, Pakistan, Egypt and Iran regretted that several proposals made by Islamic countries were not considered. Turkiye also regretted the document excluded stronger condemnation of the repeated targeting of Muslims, including mosque desecrations and Quran burnings.

`Evolving threat` Meanwhile, Pakistan`s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said terrorism transcends national boundaries, manifesting in an `increasingly interconnected yet decentralised organisational manner globally`.

Speaking at a General Assembly plenary meeting on the strategy, he said it remains a `living document` that evolves with emerging threats.

Mr Ahmad emphasised that Pakistan has consistently remained at the forefront of global counterterrorism efforts. He called for UN counterterrorism reforms to ensure transparency and fairness, free from political bias. He urged stricter social media regulations to combat online radicalisation and misinformation.

He noted its key role in operations against al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, highlighting the severe human toll. More than 1,200 Pakistanis were killed in terroristattacksinthe pastyearalone,he added.

He expressed disappointment that the ninth review process `failed` to address long-standing gaps or incorporate concerns raised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), whose member states remain heavily affected by terrorism.

A terrorism-free future requires a comprehensive multilateral approach addressing physical and virtual threats, unresolved conflicts, respect for human rights, and recognition of the right to self-determination, Mr Ahmad said. The envoy urged coordinated global action against racism and intolerance, pressing for stronger responses to violent far-right, supremacist and xenophobic groups targeting vulnerable communities.