ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: Top US commander in Afghanistan Gen John Allen is due here on Thursday for continuing discussions with his Pakistani counterparts on action against the Haqqani Network and Afghan insurgents based in Pakistan.

“General John Allen, Commander, Isaf, is likely to visit Pakistan on Aug 30,” an ISPR statement said. It said the visit was about “reviewing progress made on the implementation of recently evolved border coordination measures / standing operating procedure.”

It was obvious that the US general, while doing an appraisal of the steps taken for executing steps agreed during his earlier meetings with Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and other military leaders, would ask his interlocutors about their plans for North Waziristan.

After a visit by Gen Allen to Rawalpindi earlier this month, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta had disclosed that Gen Kayani had intimated him (Gen Allen) that the army was readying itself for an operation in North Waziristan.

The army did not deny the claim, but a statement issued after Centcom Commander Gen James Mattis visit repeated the usual stance that the operation would be undertaken at a time of military’s choosing and no foreign pressure would be entertained. —Baqir Sajjad Syed