February 16, 2003	Sunday	Zul Hijjah 14, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: US Ambassador Nancy Powell called on Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Friday to solicit Pakistan’s support for a possible resolution to authorize military strike against Iraq, Dawn learnt through diplomatic sources on Saturday.

The meeting is being seen as part of a concerted United States effort to ‘convince’ Pakistan to support Washington moves on Iraq.

The US ambassador met Mr Kasuri at the Foreign Office.

Officials here said Ms Powell’s visit had been prompted by Pakistan’s clearly stated stand against any unilateral action against Iraq. On Friday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell also talked to Mr Kasuri on telephone and discussed the same issue.

The ambassador’s call on the foreign minister on Friday and telephone calls by the US president and secretary of state to their Pakistani counterparts are seen as signs of mounting pressure by the Bush government on Pakistan that is currently a member of the UN Security Council.

In Islamabad, observers are of the view that the Musharraf-Jamali government will not be able to defend itself on the domestic front if Pakistan ends up being the only Muslim country to support a US-led war on Iraq.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the leader of Pakistan’s ruling party, in a categorical statement said on Friday that Pakistan would support the French and German position on Iraq.