Islambad, September 16: US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen had talks with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani here on Monday night and discussed the regional security situation with particular focus on the new US President’s strategy to combat terrorism.
During the meeting President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani stressed that the drone attacks by the US must stop as they are proving counter productive in the war against terror.
It was stressed by the President and the Prime Minister that instead there should be intelligence sharing about the terrorists and it should be the Pakistan forces to launch operation against them as they are fully capable to do so.
The President and the Prime Minister emphatically declared that the premier intelligence agency of Pakistan is performing its professional duties.
Later the President hosted a dinner in honour of Richard Holbrooke and Mike Mullen at which the Prime Minister was also present during the course of which discussions continued.
According to informed sources the PML-N Quaid and Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif are expected to meet Richard Holbrooke and Mike Mullen at the US Embassy here today (Tuesday).
During his earlier visit Richard Holbrooke had met Nawaz Sharif at his Raiwind residence. The sources say the main objective of the meeting is to seek support of Mian Nawaz Sharif for the new American strategy to root out terrorism.
–Agencies–