Extremists in Pak pose threat to neighbours: US

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says his country is working with Islamabad to address the problem of extremists.

The United States says it's working with Islamabad to address the problem of violent extremists who pose as much of a threat to Pakistan as they do to its neighbours and the US.

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"Pakistan is undergoing a political transition," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said on Monday suggesting "there are a number of positive developments in terms of moderate forces within the Pakistani political system working together for a moderate Pakistan."

"That is something that we have encouraged. That said, we don't pick candidates or political parties. Ultimately, who leads Pakistan is going to have to be a decision for the Pakistani people," he said, referring to the unrest in Pakistan following the return of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

"So we're working quite well with the Pakistani government on how to address those threats. Pakistan is taking the lead on those, but we are fully supportive of their efforts to move towards greater political and economic reform," McCormack said.

"Well, I don't think I would describe the situation in Pakistan quite as you did," he said disagreeing with a reporter's suggestion that there may be a kind of civil war there with President Pervez Musharraf's re-election still left hanging in the Pakistani Supreme Court.