US Secretary of State will meet high-ranking officials and outgoing president
A visit to Pakistan by US secretary of State John Kerry remained unannounced ahead of time due to security concerns.
Here are the highlights of the three-day visit:
1. Kerry is due to meet high-ranking officials, including Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, outgoing president Asif Ali Zardari and Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz.
2. The visit comes at a time when the US seeks to address issues and ease tensions caused by constant US drone strikes in Pakistan, with the latter demanding an end to the strikes.
3. Kerry will also pressure Pakistan to strengthen its crackdown on regions that are considered havens to militant groups and terrorist organizations such as the Talban. This is in light of the US’ plans to pull out its troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
4. This would be the first visit by a high-ranking US official after the Pakistan elections that brought Nawaz Sharif to power. The last visit by a US Secretary of State was by Hilary Clinton in October 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment