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United States Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian affairs Christina Rocca wound up her visit to the region on Friday, urging Pakistan to return to democracy "as soon as possible".
"We would like to see Pakistan resume, as soon as possible, a system of democratic, constitutional government in which civilians elected in free and fair elections are in charge," Rocca said here.
Rocca left for the US after completing the last leg of her twelve-day familiarisation visit to South Asia, including a five-day stay in Pakistan, the Online news agency reported.
Diplomatic sources in the US embassy in Islamabad termed the visit significant in devising American policies regarding Pakistan and India.
Rocca had reached Pakistan via the Wagah border after visiting India and Nepal. She reached Islamabad on Monday evening, where she called on President Pervez Musharraf, Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar and other senior ministers to discuss matters of mutual interest.
Rocca said Washington wanted to rebuild its relationship with Pakistan, which has suffered after its nuclear tests in May 1998, the military coup in October 1999 and Islamabad's support to the Taleban.
Her meeting with Taleban envoy Abdul Salam Zaeef was the highest-level contact yet between the ruling militia in Afghanistan and the government of President George W Bush.
She offered $1.5 million to the United Nations anti-drug efforts in Afghanistan as a reward for the Taleban's successful ban on poppy cultivation, as well as an additional $6.2 million to help Afghans fleeing drought and the civil war in the country.
But Rocca told reporters that no significant change in US policy toward the militia would be possible until the "threat of their support for terrorists is stopped".
Meanwhile, US diplomats in Islamabad have said Rocca's visit assumes importance as she got an insight into the Pakistani view on the Afghan situation, the Agra summit, the Kashmir dispute and the impact of US sanctions.
She will present a comprehensive report on her visit to the US administration, which will have a direct effect on the future of US-Pakistan ties, they said.
Indo-Asian News Service
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