ISLAMABAD, Sept 25: The US assistant secretary of state, Christina Rocca, will stop over in Karachi at the end of her visit to India, officials here told Dawn on Wednesday.

“Ms Rocca will have a few hours in Karachi on her way back,” an official in the know of the matter said, adding that the stopover could not be logged as an official visit.

Informed sources said the US assistant secretary of state would be looking into certain internal security matters regarding the American Consulate in Karachi. “She will be in Karachi to basically do some housekeeping and review different options for the US consulate there,” they added.

Foreign Office Spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan told Dawn on Wednesday that he had no intimation of whether Ms Rocca would visit Islamabad. “So far, I have not heard anything about her visit to Islamabad or any official engagements here,” he said when questioned.

The sources said the US official was not scheduled to meet any Pakistan government functionary during her brief stay in Karachi. The US ambassador to Pakistan, Nancy Powell, may proceed to Karachi to receive Ms Rocca and discuss important issues with her.

Ms Rocca arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a four-day official visit.