Describing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent visit to Pakistan as “extraordinary”, US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke said Washington is committed to forging a wide-ranging relationship with Islamabad.

“Hillary is enormously popular, personally in Pakistan, but America is not popular. When she talked…. of a trust deficit, that’s what she was referring to,” The Daily Times quoted Holbrooke, as saying.

He reiterated that extremists hiding in the lawless tribal region along the Pakistan, Afghanistan border, not only pose a threat to Islamabad, but are also a matter of concern to the US and India.

Holbrooke said the Obama administration is committed to defeating and dismantling Al-Qaeda and strengthening Pakistan’s democratic set-up.

“We remain committed to the core objectives of defeating and dismantling Al Qaeda, of helping strengthen civilian democratic rule in Pakistan, of strengthening the Afghan people’s government and its security forces,’ he said.