US urged to support Pakistan's 'most pressing concerns'

WASHINGTON - Ahead of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's three-day visit to this capital city, two American foreign policy experts have called for broad-based relationship with Pakistan designed to ensure that U.S. support would address the country's most pressing concerns.

"The inconsistent, one-dimensional, military-dominated relationship between the United States and Pakistan needs to be more expansive, mutually reinforcing and include realistic agreements. Assistance should focus on three challenges that matter to Pakistan's people," Rick Barton and Karin von Hippel of the Center for Strategic and International Studies wrote in The Washington Post on Saturday.

"Now, more than ever before, America needs to ensure that its support addresses the country’s most pressing concerns, in full partnership with the people of Pakistan,” they said in an op-ed piece.

The two experts noted that the return of democratic rule has given rise to strong aspirations for success among the Pakistani people despite multiple challenges.