Boucher to visit Pak in July to discuss co-operation in war on terror

Islamabad, June 16 : US Assistant Secretary of State, Richard Boucher is expected to visit Pakistan next month to discuss Islamabad's co-operation in the ongoing US-led war on terror, besides other issues of mutual interests.

Confirming Boucher's visit, US embassy spokesperson Elizabeth Colton said it was part of efforts to continue dialogue between the two strategic partners.

"He will come to Pakistan for more meetings in early July to continue the high-level dialogue between the two strategic partners in the war on terror," the Daily Times quoted her as saying in a statement last evening.

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi would tour the US after the visit of the US assistant secretary of the state to Pakistan, she said and added that "We are also looking forward to Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi's visiting the US at an early, convenient date."

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher would visit Pakistan next month to consult Pakistani leadership on a number of issues of mutual interest including co-operation in the on-going war on terror.

The administration decided to send Boucher, the US official in-charge of South and Central Asia, following the first high-level contact between the foreign ministers in Paris on the sideline of international conference on Afghanistan.

It was the first such formal contact since the formation of new coalition government in Pakistan.

ANI