Pakistan Army Chief to meet US Defense Secretary

Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif will visit the US next month for crucial security talks with American defence officials, his first such trip since taking over as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) last year.

His week-long visit is likely to start from mid-November and preparations for trip are underway, defence sources said.

Gen Sharif has been invited by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey. He is expected to meet Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, Cenycom Commander General Lloyd Austin and also visit Centcom headquarters in Tampa, Florida.

Gen Sharif assumed the post of army chief in November and it took him almost a year to decide on a trip to the USA, a move which speaks about the tensions between the defence establishments of the two countries over an array of issues.

However, the visit indicates that the two sides are ready to look forward and ready to work in post-2014 Afghanistan where a sizeable number of US and NATO troops will stay.