WASHINGTON, Nov 16: Pakistan is one of the countries that the outgoing US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, is likely to visit before he steps down, US sources told Dawn.

Senior US officials said Mr Powell, who resigned on Monday, is expected to attend the inaugural ceremony for President Karzai in Kabul on Dec 7.

"And he would like to make a farewell visit to Pakistan as well either on Dec 6 or Dec 8," a senior US official said.

Mr Powell plans to visit many places across the globe before he leaves the State Department by the end of December, the official said.

Besides America's NATO allies, Mr Powell is also expected to visit other key European and Middle Eastern countries, the sources said.

Mr Powell and President Gen Pervez Musharraf became close friends during Mr Powell's four-year term as the US Secretary of State.

They first spoke with each other soon after the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States when Mr Powell telephoned Gen Musharraf to urge him to join the US-led coalition against terror. President Musharraf obliged and the two have stayed in touch with each other since then.

Diplomatic sources say that the two leaders made scores of telephone calls to each other during the last four years.

During the border crisis between India and Pakistan two years ago, they spoke almost daily.

Opinion

Editorial

Property valuation
Updated 31 Oct, 2024

Property valuation

Market valuation rates will not help boost tax revenues without plugging such loopholes in the system.
Hitting a wall
31 Oct, 2024

Hitting a wall

PAKISTAN still has a long way to go in defeating polio. Despite our decades-long fight against the debilitating...
Kurram violence
31 Oct, 2024

Kurram violence

DESPITE years of intermittent and bloody conflict in Kurram, the state has been unable to bring lasting peace to ...
Court business
Updated 30 Oct, 2024

Court business

The unity and commonality of purpose on display in the full court meeting are what will help the SC endure.
UNRWA ban
30 Oct, 2024

UNRWA ban

NOT content with the war of extermination it is executing against the Palestinian people, Israel now wants to ensure...
Cricket changes
30 Oct, 2024

Cricket changes

WIN or lose, Pakistan cricket seems to be embroiled in a constant state of flux. Just when things seemed to be...