Pakistan on Wednesday urged US President Barack Obama to work closely with Islamabad to ensure that his new Afghan war strategy deploying 30,000 more American troops did not harm Pakistan. Pakistani officials have in the past raised concerns that an influx of soldiers into Afghanistan could push militants over the border, and such fears tempered Islamabad's reaction to Obama's announcement. 'We welcome President Obama's reaffirmation of partnership between the two countries built on a foundation of mutual interest, mutual respect and mutual trust,' a statement released by the foreign ministry said. 'Pakistan looks forward to engaging closely with US in understanding the full import of the new strategy and to ensure that there would be no adverse fallout on Pakistan,' it added. 'Pakistan and the US need to closely coordinate their efforts to achieve shared objectives. There is certainly the need for clarity and coordination on all aspects of the implementation of the strategy.' Outlining his strategy for an unpopular eight-year war in Afghanistan, Obama also pledged that US forces would start returning home in 19 months. He stressed the need for Pakistan to continue cracking down on Taliban and Al- Qaeda extremists along its frontier, and said that US success in Afghanistan was 'inextricably linked' to Washington's partnership with Pakistan. Islamabad has this year launched multiple offensives against Taliban militants across the country's northwest, but its Western allies are urging the administration to do more to stem the flow of rebels over the border. 'President Obama has correctly mentioned that the struggle against violent extremism extends well beyond the region,' the statement said. 'Pakistan is committed to uprooting terrorism from our region and in advancing the cause of peace and stability in Afghanistan.' Security has drastically deteriorated in Pakistan since Islamabad joined the US- led 'war on terror' and hundreds of Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants fled into the tribal belt after the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. 