US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Pakistan promising a fresh start in relations between the two countries, as they pledge to unite against Islamic extremism. Skip related content
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Clinton pledges fresh start in Pakistan
"We are turning the page," she told reporters as she began her first trip to Islamabad since taking office.
Her visit comes against a backdrop of rising anti-American sentiment in Pakistan and follows a series of devastating terror attacks in the country.
Mrs Clinton acknowledged that misunderstandings had dogged US ties with Pakistan and pledged to refocus the relationship on the "needs of the people".
That will include strengthened economic assistance and the development of democratic institutions. The US has already pledged to triple its assistance to Pakistan to $7 billion over the next five years.
Pakistan is suffering a bloody backlash in its campaign against Islamic fundamentalists which is being closely followed by Washington and other Western powers embroiled in the conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan.
President Barack Obama is due soon to announce whether he will accept his military commander's recommendation to sharply increase US troop levels.
Clinton said: "We have a relationship that we want to strengthen. And it is unfortunate that there are those who question our motives, perhaps are sceptical that we're going to commit to a long-term relationship, and I want to try to clear the air on that."
She further urged Pakistanis to reject the narrow vision of religious extremists, who she compared to a foreign "tumor" in Pakistani society.
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