Islamabad hopes for boost in ties with US

US military chief General Joseph Dunford will accompany US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on his important tour to Islamabad next week to hold talks with Pakistan’s new leadership.

The visit of the US military chief and top US diplomat was confirmed by US Secretary of Defence James Mattis during a news briefing at Pentagon in Washington. The US delegation would ensure that need to fight terrorists would be “the primary part” of their discussions with Pakistani leaders, Mattis said.

US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Joseph F. Dunford and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are arriving in Pakistan next week. They are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as their counterparts to discuss bilateral relations.

Gen Dunford’s inclusion in the delegation makes the visit all the more significant and not just a stopover en route to India as was earlier suggested in the media.

Constructive talks

Discussing the visit, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan desires to improve its relations with the United States. Qureshi earlier said: “The conversation between the secretary of state and the prime minister of Pakistan... was very good. Not only he [Pompeo] felicitated the prime minister, but expressed his desire to seek a constructive engagement with the new [Pakistani] government.”

The visit of top US officials, despite initial misunderstanding on phone call between Pakistan’s new premier and the US Secretary of State, reflects the significance Washington attaches to engaging with Pakistan’s new leadership.

Pakistan’s new administration is hoping for a boost in ties with United States.