Pakistan committed to 'more than doing its share' against terrorism

Pakistan was committed to "more than doing its share" against al-Qaida and Taliban militants, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday.

The remark by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte could take some heat off the Pakistan's U.S.-allied military leader as he struggles to secure another term in office.

After talks with Pakistani officials in Islamabad, Negroponte noted that Pakistan had lost more than 1,000 soldiers battling militants operating near the Afghan border.

"Significant additional Pakistani forces have been deployed to that region in the past year or so," Negroponte said at a news conference.

"There is no doubt whatsoever of Pakistan's commitment to restoring and establishing security in that part of the country and more than doing its share in the war against terror."

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf faces signs of growing impatience in the United States with his government's failure to rein in militants in northwest Pakistan, where U.S. intelligence says al-Qaida may be regrouping.

However, Washington has maintained its public support of Musharraf, who turned against the Taliban after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, ahead of a presidential election due by mid-October.

Negroponte is leading a delegation of U.S. officials in talks on counterterrorism and other aspects of American-Pakistani relations.