WASHINGTON: Emphasizing Pakistan's importance to Washington's security interests in the region, Senator John McCain has said it is in the United States' interest to have good relations with it.

“Pakistan is vital to United States national security interests for a broad variety of reasons, including the nuclear inventory that Pakistan has, including the fact that Pakistan's role in the region is vital, not to mention relations with India,” the former Republican presidential candidate said at a Washington think-tank.

McCain said the America's mistake in breaking military relations with Pakistan in the 1990s still continues to impact their bilateral ties.

“One of the gravest mistakes in recent history was the so-called Pressler Amendment, which basically cut off our military-to-military relations, and we are paying, still paying a very heavy price for.”

The seasoned lawmaker opposed the notion that Pakistan is a failed state.