Pakistan downplays US envoy visit

By Syed Shoaib Hasan
BBC News, Islamabad

The visit coincided with the swearing-in of the new PM

Pakistan's foreign office has denied suggestions that the timing of a visit by top US diplomats is unusual.

US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher arrived in Pakistan early Tuesday.

It was the same day that the new PM, Yusuf Raza Gillani, was sworn in.

Pakistan is a key ally in US President George Bush's "war on terror" and has been fighting pro-Taleban militants in tribal areas near the Afghan border.

However, the US is not held in high regard by the general public in Pakistan because of its perceived stance against Islam internationally.

'Already fixed'

Mr Negroponte and Mr Boucher are expected to proceed to Karachi for another set of meetings on Thursday.

"The visit in March was on the cards for sometime," a spokesman for the Pakistani foreign office said.

"Suggestions have been made about the timing of the visit because of the political transition in the country."

Mr Negroponte (right) and Mr Boucher met senior politicians

"However, the deputy secretary undertook the visit because his meetings and programme was already fixed."

The foreign ministry also denied there was any connection between increased US aid to the tribal areas and increased attacks in that region by Nato.

"There is no link between the two," the spokesman said.

"The US has separately committed $750m for the development of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) over the next five years."

The foreign office statements come after the Pakistani media questioned the timing of the visit.

Commentators said the timing could imply that the US was trying to influence the policies of Pakistan's new government.

"It gives the impression to the Islamic extremists... that here are the Americans, trying to dictate terms," Dawn newspaper editor Zaffar Abbas told the Associated Press news agency.

"The problem with the Americans is they don't understand the domestic pressure on the new government."