Clinton arrives in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Pakistan Sunday to discuss Pakistan’s role in fighting Taliban militants in the region and outline America’s strategy to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by July next year.

The visit is expected to “buttress a shaky partnership that US officials say is key to the escalating war in neighbouring Afghanistan”, according to DawnNews.

Clinton’s trip comes two days ahead of her visit to Afghanistan to attend an international conference of donor countries to be held in Kabul Tuesday.

The Kabul conference is aimed at fleshing out Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s pledge to assume more responsibility for both security and governance in the country ahead of US President Barack Obama’s July 2011 target date to begin drawing down US forces.

During her two-day tour to Islamabad, Clinton is expected to meet with top military and civilian leaders.

The US envoy is also expected to announce economic aid which Washington hopes will demonstrate that the US is a trustworthy partner in the struggle against Taliban insurgents on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the Pakistani daily said.

US officials kept details of Clinton’s visit under wraps amid security concerns following a wave of suicide bombings and militant attacks in Pakistan.

Tuesday, suspected militants in a tribal region on the Afghan border ambushed a convoy of vehicles being escorted by security forces, killing 18 people.

The Obama administration regards Pakistan as a pivotal player in the US-led struggle against militant groups in both countries.

However, US officials are wary of the role that Pakistan is playing in Afghanistan and believe it needs to do more to fight its own home-grown Taliban militants, which Washington blames were behind the failed bombing attempt in New York’s Times Square May 1.

“When this administration came in there was a huge trust gap between Pakistan and the US,” said Vali Nasr, a special adviser to Richard Holbrooke, Obama’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“Pakistanis are beginning to develop much more knowledge about what our intentions are, and with that comes trust.”