Washington has asked Pakistan to shift its military focus to its western border rather than on its frontier with India. Visiting US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said in Islamabad that Pakistan in its own way faces an existential threat on its western border. Therefore it should commit itself to a greater role there.<br/><br/>In an interview with the state-run Pakistan Television, Robert Gates said US understands Pakistan's legitimate concerns. But its threat is on its western border, which is more immediate. It is from there people have put suicide bombers in Pakistan cities and have killed Pakistani military officers and their families.<br/><br/>Gates also described as exaggerated Pakistan’s concerns about the Indian presence in Afghanistan. He said when he was in India, he did not ask them for military trainers and military units. He said India is restrained in its response after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.