WASHINGTON: The New York Times reported on Sunday that the Obama administration was leaning on Pakistan to step up its fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Citing anonymous sources, the Times reported that Gen. James L. Jones, Obama’s national security adviser, was sent to Islamabad with a letter for Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari.

‘His (President Obama’s) message, officials said, was that the new American strategy would work only if Pakistan broadened its fight beyond the militants attacking its cities and security forces and went after the groups that use havens in Pakistan for plotting and carrying out attacks against American troops in Afghanistan, as well as support networks for Al Qaeda,’ the report said.

In the letter, the newspaper reported, Obama said he expected Pakistan to do more to fight the extremists threatening Pakistan and Afghanistan.

‘General Jones also delivered a letter from Mr. Obama to Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari, in which Mr. Obama said he expected Mr. Zardari to rally the nation’s political and national security institutions in a united campaign against extremists threatening Pakistan and Afghanistan, said an official briefed on the conversations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were confidential,’ the NYT report said.

Obama is expected to announce some troop increases in Afghanistan along with clearer limitations on US goals for the war after he returns from Asia late this week. The announcement is expected either just before or just after the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 26. The post-holiday timing appears more likely, despite continued criticism from the political right that Obama is taking too long to announce his next move.