President Zardari also called Mark E Kelly, husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and enquired about the health of the Democratic lawmaker, who was shot in the head in Tuscon, Arizona, on January 8. She remains in intensive care after an emergency surgery, performed after the gunshot.

The Pakistani leader said political discourse needs to be encouraged to eliminate violence from societies.

A prominent Pakistani politician and governor of Punjab province Salmaan Taseer was assasinated last week. President Zardari travelled to Washington to attend a memorial held in honor of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, who was special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan when he passed away in December 2010.

Earlier, on Friday, President Barack Obama invited his Pakistani counterpart to an Oval office meeting, during which the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and cooperation in various areas under the US-Pakistan strategic partnership.