By KUNA,
Islamabad : In a significant gesture, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday held an interesting and lively interaction with Pakistani students and answered a number of their questions ranging from anti-terror cooperation to the controversial aid bill. Clinton, who is currently in Pakistan on a three-day visit, travelled to eastern Lahore city and paid visits to historic Mughul Fort and tomb of Pakistani forefather Allama Iqbal. It was for the first time that any top US official was openly visiting the city since the last decade. She held over an hour long open interaction with Pakistani students at the countrys top university before her important meeting with the main opposition party.
The students asked her questions about the controversial aid bill, drone attacks, image building and anti-terror cooperation. To a question about previous US administration, Clinton openly admitted that she had been against Bush era policies. Responding to another question about anti-terror cooperation, she said that there is a war going on and the U.S. wants to help Pakistan be successful. She said that the Pakistan government and its armed forces are moving in the right direction to eliminate terrorists and America will continue its support in this regard. When asked about Indo-Pak rivalry, she said the US was a friend of Pakistan and India alike, adding that Pakistan was a close ally of America, which had always maintained consistent relations with it. Answering a number of questions related to the Kerry-Lugar aid bill, she said that the Kerry-Lugar law was not meant to challenge Pakistans sovereignty and independence or micro-manage any matter by any way. “It was aimed at helping Pakistan strengthen its democratic institutions, its people and economy through human security and economic opportunities,” she said.
Later, she held meetings with Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and other senior members of his Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party. According to party sources, the two sides discussed the political and security situation of the country in the backdrop of recent terror spate, war against terrorism, and the Kerry-Lugar aid bill. Sources said that Nawaz Sharif also conveyed concerns over the controversial aid bill and urged the US administration to address them.