Washington: Maintaining that Pakistan has been a "strong ally" in war against terror, a top US defence official has suggested that the new government in Islamabad could take another direction after it "gets up on its feet."

"This is a new government in Pakistan and it is getting up on its feet. And with any new government, it's going to take some time for them to get on their feet and get headed in the direction that they want to go," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen said at a briefing.

"From my perspective, we've got good military-to-military contact, so that s the right contact level for those of us in the military. And I think we need to be mindful that this is a new government. New leadership could certainly have new direction and that they, too, are a sovereign country," he said.

Lauding Islamabad as a "strong ally" in "war against terror", the highest-ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces further said: "They've been a strong ally in this war on terror, and I believe they will continue to be. "And we just need to be thinking about how to both recognise this new government, what their plans will be and then work with them accordingly," the top Defence Department official said.

Source : PTI