WASHINGTON, Sept 7: President Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will be visiting the United States this month to revive an important partnership in the war against terrorists.

Ms Khar will set this process rolling with a three-day visit to Washington beginning from Sept 18.

She is expected to meet Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other senior officials of the Obama administration and explore the possibility of reviving the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue, which got derailed after the US raid in Abbottabad.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated further when another US air raid killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November last. In retaliation, Pakistan closed Nato supply routes to Afghanistan.

But ties began to improve in July when Secretary Clinton apologised over the Salala air raid and Pakistan reopened the routes.

Pakistan is now hoping to restart the strategic dialogue process and has urged the Obama administration to reactivate non-military sector of this process, which includes economic support and energy assistance.

Ms Khar is also expected to push for a meeting between President Zardari and President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York later this month.

Pakistan would like to announce the revival of the strategic dialogue process during or after the meeting.

Mr Zardari is expected to arrive in New York on 24th to attend the UN General Assembly.

Dates for Gen Kayani’s visit have not yet been finalised but he is likely to come after President Zardari.

During Gen Kayani’s visit, defence establishments of the two countries will try to revitalise ties between the two militaries. They worked closely with each other during the Cold War but have developed serious differences since the Abbottabad raid.

Although relations between the two militaries also have improved since July, serious differences over some issues remain unresolved.

The Americans continue to blame Pakistan for sheltering the Haqqani network and allowing it to raid targets inside Afghanistan.

They want Pakistan to release Dr Shakil Afridi, who has been jailed for helping the CIA trace Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.