Colombo, Aug. 4 : U. S. Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia and South Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher has once again reiterated Washington’s desire for ‘focussed and good’ intelligence services in Pakistan, as that is the only way that terrorism can be reined in.

Boucher told reporters here that his government would want Pakistan to have a ‘good intelligence service’ that worked single-mindedly and in ‘close step’ with other institutions of the country, implying that the current mechanisms could be pursuing an agenda different from that of the government.

“All elements need to be lined up and working in the same direction if Pakistan were to tackle the issue of terrorism,” he said.

According to the Dawn, Boucher also stressed the need for a national consensus in Pakistan on the issue of defeating terrorism.

Boucher said his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Gilani on the sidelines of the SAARC summit was a follow-up of the discussions held during his visit to the US. (ANI)