US to give Pak $750 mn to pacify troubled border

He also said the US Department of Defence planned to spend an additional $75 million in 2007 on upgrading the Frontier Corps, the main Pakistani government force tasked with guarding the mountainous frontier.

“This is a good plan, a comprehensive plan to provide economic development, education and other opportunities to the people who live in the border regions,” Boucher told reporters after talks with Musharraf and other Pakistani officials.

The pledge was the latest public show of support from the US government for Musharraf, a key ally of President George W Bush

in America’s war on

international terrorism and already a major recipient of US military aid.

However, there are signs of growing frustration in Washington at the military ruler’s failure to prevent the Taliban from supporting attacks on international troops in Afghanistan from sanctuaries in the tribal areas, and concern that al-Qaeda may be regrouping there.

Boucher praised Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, for promising to combat extremism and guide Pakistan back to democratic rule.

“We have a fundamental interest in the success of Pakistan as a moderate, stable, democratic Muslim nation,” Boucher said. “That’s the direction that Musharraf is leading the nation and we’re proud to work with him.”

But he also expressed concern about the effectiveness of deals that Musharraf struck with tribal elders in the North and South Waziristan regions.

Under the agreements, elders pledged to halt militancy and crossborder attacks in return for an end to punitive Pakistani military operations in which hundreds of suspected militants, soldiers and civilians have died.

“I think everybody recognises that, at this point, the political deal in Waziristan has not stopped the militancy, unfortunately it has not stopped bombings against Pakistani civilians, it hasn’t stopped crossborder activity,” Boucher said.