Paris, May 26: US will step up its support to Pakistan to “defend” its democracy from violent extremism, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today, expressing concern over a spate of terror attacks on the country’s military facilities, mosques and schools.
Committing to pursue a “comprehensive, long-term partnership” with Pakistan, despite its failure to adopt a hard strategy to tackle militant extremism, Clinton said, Washington will support the country to “defend” its “democracy from violent extremism.”
Pakistan has lost thousands of civilians and military personnel, she said, expressing concern over the ruthless attack launched by terrorists on country’s military facilities, mosques, and schools.
In the face of raging anti-American sentiment in Pakistan since the killing of the Osama bin Laden by the US paratroopers, Islamabad has adopted tough and indifferent postures towards Washington, raising doubts over its strategic partnership with the it.
“Since 9/11, Pakistan has been (a) strong partner in our counter-terrorism efforts and there have been times we have had disagreements and there have been times when we wanted to push harder and for various reasons, they have not,” she told reporters at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) concluding press conference here.
Pakistan leveled a barrage of charges against the US for violating its its sovereignty by carrying out a covert action on its territory in the Osama episode.
–PTI