Clinton pledges closer ties with people

Islamabad: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged to build a "new partnership" and closer ties with the people of Pakistan as she began a three-day visit to the country yesterday.

At a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi after talks between them, she announced a programme to help Pakistan in the field of energy.

The first phase of what she called the "signature energy programme" would be aimed at improving the efficiency of local energy providers, through repairs, upgrades and the provision of key equipment.

The US will also help Pakistan build power stations at Tarbela, the site of Pakistan's largest dam in the North West Frontier Province, she said. Assistance would be extended for the upgrading of 10,000 tubewells across the country to make them energy efficient, she added.

‘The beginning'

"This first phase is only the beginning," Clinton said and added if Congress approved then more such programmes could be launched.

She said during the talks with Qureshi they had discussed ways to ensure "an effective, responsive and enduring democracy" in Pakistan.

"America wants to help in what you think is good for you. In democracies there has to be a partnership between people and that is what I aim to foster," Clinton said.

Qureshi said Clinton's visit was a "loud and clear message" of support to Pakistan by the people and government of the US.