"Democratic progress improved US' perceptions about Pak"

Washington, Apr 26 : Outgoing Pakistan ambassador to the US Mahmud Ali Durrani has said that the restoration of democracy in Pakistan post-February 18 polls has improved Pakistan's image in the eyes of the US, and that bilateral ties between the two countries would improve further in the near future.

Durrani, who has been appointed as national security adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister, said that the democratic progress in Pakistan has vastly improved the US' perceptions about it, and the two nations are now expected to forge a broad-based relationship.

He said that he saw a lot of changes in perceptions about Pakistan on the Capitol Hill.

"There is a visible change in the environment, I can see smile on the faces of Congressional leaders - there is a fundamental change. The Americans and their leaders want democracy to advance and prosper in Pakistan," the Daily Times quoted him as saying.

Durrani said he was confident of close ties between the two countries, as he noted the growing acknowledgement in the US for a broad-based relationship with the Pakistani nation. Pak-US relations would remain sound and multi-faceted, he said.

Husain Haqqani, the director of the Centre for International Relations at Boston University, will replace Durrani as Pakistan's top diplomat in Washington.

ANI