U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced more than $500 million in new package for Pakistan on Monday as she sought tougher action from Islamabad against insurgents ahead of a key donor meeting in Afghanistan.

Clinton was in Islamabad for two days as part of the U.S.-Pakistan strategic dialogue.

Clinton will later fly on to Kabul for an international conference as the U.S.-led invasion continues in Afghanistan.

For Pakistan, she announced a string of new projects -- including dams, power generation, agricultural development and hospital construction -- funded under U.S. legislation passed last year tripling civilian aid to $7.5 billion over the next five years.

The aid focused on water and energy needs of Pakistan is part of US efforts to deepen engagement with the Asian nuclear power to reverse anti-Americanism.

"Haqqani network"

Clinton met Pakistan's prime minister and president on Sunday and in a media interview, called for "additional measures" from Islamabad to combat fighters on its soil.

"There are still additional steps that we are asking and expecting the Pakistanis to take," she told the BBC.

"... there is no doubt in anyone's mind that should an attack against the United States be traced to be Pakistani it would have a very devastating impact on our relationship," she added.

Anti-American sentiment is widespread in Pakistan.

Clinton tried to convince Pakistanis that American interest in their country extends beyond the attacks against insurgents.

"Of course there is a legacy of suspicion that we inherited. It is not going to be eliminated overnight," said Clinton following talks in Islamabad.

"It is however our goal to slowly but surely demonstrate that the United States is concerned about Pakistan for the long term and that our partnership goes far beyond security against our common enemies," she said.

But, she also confirmed that Washington planned to formally designate Pakistan's Haqqani network a so-called "foreign terrorist organisation".

The network is battling coalition troops occupying Afghanistan.

Clinton was due to meet Pakistan's powerful army chief General Ashfaq Kayani for closed-door discussions later Monday before travelling to Kabul for Afghan international conference.


Agencies