ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif presided over on Friday a meeting of his top foreign policy and national security aides as he prepared for a tough visit to the United States later this month.
The other key foreign policy issue before the government is the worsening situation in Afghanistan
The meeting, whose participants included Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Rashad Mehmood, Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif, Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Zubair Mehmood Hayat, DG ISI Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, DG ISPR Lt Gen Asim Bajwa and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, was the second one convened by the prime minister in two days to prepare for the US visit.
Also read: COAS, PM Sharif discuss internal security, Pak-Afghan border situation
Mr Sharif had a day earlier consulted some of his cabinet ministers on this issue, while the army’s corps commanders met separately at the General Headquarters.
Mr Sharif, who leaves for a ‘working visit’ to the US on Oct 19, would meet President Obama at the White House on Oct 22.
Notwithstanding the positivity in the relationship being expressed by both sides, some key thorny issues remain.
The back to back meetings, according to a source, were meant to firm up the government’s response on those issues.
In a statement on the meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office did not mention the discussion on the US and instead said that the meeting was for deliberation on internal security.
“Prime Minister said that every measure would be taken to improve the security situation of Pakistan,” the statement said.
Published in Dawn, October 10th , 2015
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