Amidst indications that Pakistan’s new government will review support for the US-led war on terror, a top American official today said the problem should be tackled through a combination of military means and economic development programmes.

“I think we all want to move together to help Pakistan to stabilise, to help Pakistanis be safe and have economic opportunity and make Pakistan a success as a democratic society,” US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told a joint news conference with Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

The US recognises that terrorism and extremism should be dealt with “not only with military means when necessary but also by providing education and economic opportunity”, he said.

Boucher said he had told Pakistani leaders that “the US wants to support democracy, a democratic government in Pakistan and the people as they move forward”. He also made it clear that the change of government would not affect US aid for Pakistan.

A variety of programmes will be worked out with the government of Pakistan in this regard, Boucher said.

Two of the PPP’s key allies in the new coalition government the PML-N and Awami National Party have said they favour a dialogue with militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and a rolling back of the military operations launched by the previous regime under President Pervez Musharraf’s leadership.

However, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte had on Thursday warned the Pakistan government against initiating dialogue with “irreconcilable elements” like Al Qaeda and Taliban.

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