ISLAMABAD, June 16: It appears that Pakistan-US ‘bonding’ will continue midair as foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri and senior officials of the foreign ministry travelling with him to Washington on Sunday will have the company of US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher.

On Sunday morning they will all be boarding the British Airways flight from Islamabad to Washington via London, Dawn has learnt through informed diplomatic circles.

Apparently, both sides discovered this only on Friday when Mr Kasuri was asked by the visiting US deputy secretary of state about his travel plans to Washington.

“This is a mere coincidence not by design,” is how one diplomat put it, who agreed it would be a good opportunity for further interaction between the top diplomats.

“This is the most convenient flight to Washington from Islamabad. There is nothing more or less,” said a Pakistani official when contacted by Dawn.