ISLAMABAD, Oct 24: After a relatively ‘dry spell’ on the diplomatic front there will be a flurry of activity at the Foreign Office soon after Eidul Fitr with a string of high-profile official visits to Pakistan.
Starting with visit of Britain’s royal couple Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall later this month, there will be a host of top-level back-to-back visits in November that will keep the foreign policy team on its toes.
Besides the important visit of the Chinese President Hu Jintao, visits by British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi are also on the cards next month as is of the Amir of Qatar.
Prince Karim Aga Khan will be another dignitary to visit Pakistan.
Furthermore, foreign ministers of Belgium, Hungary, Netherlands, Russia and Syria and deputy foreign minister of Italy will also be here next month, it is learnt. Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga will also be here in the first week of November.
Dropping a hint about the important visits by world leaders, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said last week that it reflected the international community’s desire to engage with Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will make a short trip to the US early next month for an important UN-related event. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khusro Bakhtyar is slated to visit Spain.
Pakistan will also be holding bilateral talks with its two key strategic partners — the US and China — in Islamabad. The second round of Pakistan-US strategic dialogue is scheduled in Islamabad for Nov 6. Also, on the cards is Pakistan’s peace dialogue with India in New Delhi on Nov 14 when the foreign secretaries of the two countries will meet. Pakistan-EU political dialogue is also scheduled in Finland next month.
