ISLAMABAD: The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff will visit Islamabad this week for talks with Pakistani leaders as relations between the allies flounder amid a series of diplomatic rows.

Admiral Mike Mullen's visit is the latest shuttle diplomacy mission after a fatal shooting by a CIA contractor in January enflamed a row over intelligence sharing and heightened tensions over the controversial US drone war.

Mullen, the top US military official, is to visit for “discussions with leadership here”, a military official in Pakistan said Tuesday, without giving further details.

The military official pointed out that Mullen had visited Pakistan at least 25 times, with his last visit for two days in December.