ISLAMABAD, March 25: Pakistan in the years to come is going to be a regional leader, and the United States being a partner, looks forward to it as the country is fully capable of utilising its resources and capacities.

These views were expressed by outgoing US ambassador Ryan C. Crocker in a farewell interview given to the US embassy’s monthly magazine, Khabr-o-Nazar.

The transcript of the interview for the March issue coming out on Monday was released to the media here on Sunday.

“I have enormous confidence in the future of this country, the capacities and intentions of its people,” Mr Crocker said in reply to a question. He maintained that Pakistan-US relationship had developed significantly during the past two and half years.

Mr Crocker cited the US earthquake relief and reconstruction effort as a highpoint of the bilateral relations during his tenure here.

Responding to a query, Mr Crocker observed that it was noteworthy that while clearly there were many Pakistanis unhappy over various aspects of the US policy in the region, “individualised anti-Americanism” virtually did not exist here.

Commenting on the Pakistan-US security cooperation, he said: “Our military assistance recently marked the arrival of Cobra helicopters to support Pakistan’s efforts in war on terror. We have done a great deal with the Pakistan Navy. The F-16 sale is now moving forward. Two F-16s have already arrived in country.”

Referring to economic assistance, he added: “We have done a tremendous amount on the economic side.” Mr Crocker noted that the US assistance of $3 billion over five years was a concrete example of the strength and continuity of this relationship.

He said to ensure an enduring relationship with Pakistan and to strengthen understanding among the people of the two countries his government had taken several important steps. In this context he mentioned the decision to dramatically expand the Fulbright scholarship programme which was now the largest single Fulbright scholarship programme in the entire world.

Mr Crocker said the other thing he had worked very hard was to expand travel to the US. He disclosed that the issuance of visas to Pakistanis in 2006 was 30 per cent higher than in 2005. The issuance of student visas increased 55 per cent in 2006 over 2005.—Q.A.