WASHINGTON, Sept 28: The violent reaction against an anti-Islam film forced the US military chief to postpone his visit to Pakistan, Gen Martin Dempsey said.

At a Thursday afternoon briefing at the Pentagon, Gen Dempsey told reporters that he was scheduled to visit Pakistan this week for talks with Pakistan’s army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani but after consulting his hosts, he postponed the trip.

Instead, he prolonged his trip to Afghanistan, visiting US troops in southern provinces.

“I originally planned to go to Pakistan to meet Gen Kayani, and because of some of the issues related to that film, he and I discussed postponing that visit — mostly so that I would give him the time to deal with the issues he was dealing with internally,” he said.

And with the available time, he said, he decided to extend his trip to Afghanistan.

“I wanted that to be a very private visit with Gen Kayani. I only changed the trip right at the end,” said Gen Dempsey when a reporter asked why he failed to announce his to visit Pakistan.

Responding to another question, Gen Dempsey said he had always believed that the outcome in Afghanistan would have to include some resolution of the groups that operated out of western Pakistan.

“And my purpose in going to visit Gen Kayani was to get his insights and his intentions in that regard,” he added.