A US congressional delegation led by Senator John McCain, who is also chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, arrived here Saturday and held talks with Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Raheel Sharif. Senator McCain declared that Pakistan Army's achievements in counter-terrorism operations are phenomenal and reflect the country's strong resolve towards eliminating terrorism.
The delegation, which also comprised Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Joe Donnelly, will also hold talks with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz today (Sunday). During the meeting at GHQ, Rawalpindi matters of mutual interest and regional security with a particular reference to Afghanistan's situation came under discussion, said an ISPR's statement.
It stated that the Army Chief dilated upon security challenges faced by Pakistan and Pakistan's contribution towards regional stability and global peace. "Pakistan's successes in war on terror, need for an effective border management across long porous Pak-Afghan border to check illegal movement on either side of the border were also discussed," the statement said. "The CoAS said that a stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan's interest and [a strong] relationship between both countries holds key to regional peace and security," it added.
Senator McCain, while acknowledging Pakistan's successes in the Zarb-e-Azb, said Pakistan Army's achievements in counter-terrorism operations are phenomenal and reflect Pakistan's determination to eliminate terrorism. He said Pakistan and US need to cement relations in all dimensions and must strive for greater co-ordination for optimal deliverance of peace dividend in the region. Earlier in the day, US special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Olson also held separate meeting with the Army Chief and discussed issues of mutual interest.
On Sunday (today), the US delegation will hold talks with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz at the Foreign Office. In the talks, the sources said, the two sides would discuss the ongoing military operation against the militants and it would be reiterated that Pakistan has taken indiscriminate action against all militants groups through the ongoing military operation Zarb-e-Azb. The efforts towards the peace process in Afghanistan under the four-nation Quadrilateral Co-ordination Group (QCG) comprising Pakistan, Afghanistan, Untied States and China, would also come under discussion.
The sources further said that Pakistan's side would also raise the issue of F-16s and would urge the US delegation to play its role towards removing the impediments to the deal, as the aircraft are necessary to enhance Pakistan's precision strike capability against the militants. About the reports that the delegation will also pay a visit to North Waziristan, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria expressed his inability to confirm, saying it was not in his knowledge. The visiting delegation will leave for Afghanistan today (Sunday) after holding talks with the Pakistani leadership. The sources further said the visit of the delegation before the US presidential election is aimed at regional policy formulation and will impact on Washington's policy formulation processes in relation to the region.