US to continue to ask Pak to do more against extremist outfits: Clinton

Washington, Dec.3 (ANI): US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that Washington would continue to press Pakistan to do more against extremist organisations that posses a threat to the entire region.

"It will be our continuing effort... to make the case that the Pakistanis have to do more against all of the insurgent terrorist groups that are threatening them, that are threatening us in Afghanistan and the Afghan people and are threatening other neighbours in the region," Clinton said.

She said that while the Obama administration is pledged to provide all help to Islamabad to overcome the challenges it is facing currently, Pakistan will have to cope with its internal challenges itself.

Clinton told media persons here that Washington wants civilian rule to flourish in that country.

Responding to a question regarding the present Pakistan leadership's capability she said Pakistan appears to be quite resolved for democracy.

"It is democracy that strengthens the institutions and to my reckoning, Pakistan is quite resolved for the democracy; however, the country itself will have to tackle its internal issues," The Daily Times quoted Clinton, as saying.

The top US official once again highlighted that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda pose a threat not only to Pakistan and Afghanistan, but also to the entire region.

Clinton said Pakistan does not want cross-border problems (from Afghanistan) to penetrate into the country; instead, it wants the neighboring country to be able to defend itself.

"We do realize that the attacks on Pakistanis in the past few weeks were carried out by the extremists; accordingly, we want to help Afghanistan, so that it may take further responsibility," she added.

Clinton's statement comes hours after President Barack Obama announced a dramatic escalation in the war in Afghanistan, pledging to send 30,000 more troops to that country to facilitate the 'war on terror'. (ANI)