WASHINGTON, Feb 15: US Secretary of State Colin Powell paid a farewell call on Thursday afternoon on President Pervez Musharraf at Blair House before his departure for home.

Powell told the president that in his experience he had never seen a visiting head of state receive the kind of wide-ranging response from the administration, Congress, media, and even the American public as he had seen Mr Musharraf receive.

He assured the president that the administration would continue to work with the Congress to ensure that Pakistan received the economic assistance that it needed. He also promised to do his best to obtain for Pakistan the textiles market access that it needed, and had been seeking for several months, especially after the Sep 11 attacks.

Powell also told the president that the US would continue its efforts to help India and Pakistan resolve their differences and disputes, including Kashmir.

President Musharraf flew from the Dulles International Airport, near Washington, at 7 pm local time on Thursday (5 am Pakistan time, on Friday) on board a scheduled PIA flight bound for Islamabad.—APP