'Al Qaeda seeking nuclear secrets from Pakistan'

Al Qaeda is trying to seek nuclear secrets from Pakistan and it remains as dangerous as ever, Special United States Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke said on Wednesday.

"Al Qaeda is still there in the region, ever dangerous and publicly asking people to attack the US and publicly asking nuclear engineers to give them nuclear secrets from Pakistan," Holbrooke said during a reception hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Afghanistan at the Capitol Hill.

Holbrooke -- the point man of the Barack Obama Administration for Afghanistan and Pakistan -- said the US is not in Afghanistan to support the elections, but it is there for its own national interest and security.

"We are not in Afghanistan for the election. We are in Afghanistan for the whole host of reasons, starting with our own national interests and going on to the fact that what happens in Afghanistan, would affect the region and what happens in the region affects the world," Holbrooke said.

He said the Obama administration has not only increased the number of security forces in the country but has also substantially increased aid to both Pakistan and Afghanistan.