ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: Newly-appointed US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson formally assumed the office on Wednesday with a pledge to build mutually respectful relationship.

Ambassador Olson presented his credentials to President Asif Ali Zardari at the Governor’s House in Karachi.

Credentials for new envoys are usually received at the presidency. It was one of those rare occasions when a special ceremony was arranged in a provincial capital to receive new ambassadors.

The diplomatic ritual of presentation of credentials was followed by a meeting between President Zardari and Mr Olson.

The president expressed grief over the loss of lives and huge destruction in the US caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Mr Zardari hoped that the ambassador would help in cementing the bilateral relationship.

Mr Olson, who replaced Ambassador Cameron Munter, arrived in Pakistan on October 27 to take up the new assignment.

His predecessor had earlier this year quit prematurely after he was overruled on critical issues, including drones and apology for deaths of 24 Pakistani troops in the Salala incident.

A diplomatic source opined that the new envoy was a good choice and had the combined strengths of his two immediate predecessors — Ambassador Munter and Ambassador Patterson.

He has a vast experience of working in countries with conflict.

The source said Mr Olson was ‘well connected’ with the influential corridors in Washington and has the ability to work affably with interlocutors in the host country.

The advice Mr Olson got from his Pakistani friends was not to bunker himself inside the embassy.

In his first public comments on arrival the ambassador had also expressed his desire to reach out to the people of Pakistan. “I want to see as much of this beautiful country as possible and meet its talented people,” he said.

Mr Olson strongly believes in improved Pak-US ties.

“The United States has a clear interest in supporting a stable, sovereign and democratic Pakistan at peace with itself and its neighbours,” he had said at his confirmation hearing in the US Senate.

Mr Olson’s focus would be on counter-terrorism cooperation; getting clear support from Islamabad for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan; and working for democratic and economic stability in Pakistan.

Prior to coming to Pakistan, Ambassador Olson served as the coordinating director for development and economic affairs at the US Embassy in Kabul from 2011 to 2012. He was ambassador to the United Arab Emirates from 2008 to 2011.