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Islamabad: Japan's foreign minister offered on Saturday assistance to Pakistan's newly elected government in its fight against terrorism, the Pakistani prime minister's office said.
Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, who is on a two-day visit to Pakistan, made the offer during talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in Islamabad.
Pakistan is a key ally of Washington in the war on terror and has deployed thousands of troops in tribal regions near Afghanistan, where US-led coalition forces are fighting Taliban and Al Qaida fighters.
The South Asian nation recently initiated peace talks with militants in the country's tribal areas and planned to launch development projects in hopes of curbing the activities of Islamist militants on its side of the border.
Main support
Japan, another key US ally, has refuelled ships since 2001 in support of US-led forces in Afghanistan. Its main support has been financial assistance to the Afghan government.
Gilani told Komura that the world community "has to do more" to support Pakistan's efforts against terrorism. Komura "appreciated" Pakistan's role and assured it of support for development programmes in its least developed areas, which include the militancy-plagued northwest.
It provided no details, but Komura later signed an agreement to extend soft loans worth $478 million (Dh1.75 billion) to Pakistan for power, irrigation and road projects.
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