PM, COAS meet ahead of Kerry's visit

E-Paper | June 07, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The two discussed the agenda for their meetings with US Secretary of State John Kerry upon his coming visit to Pakistan, sources said.

During the meeting, the army chief apprised the prime minister of his recommendations on issues of strategic importance.

The two moreover decided that Pakistan's civil and military leadership take an integrated and unified stance during its dialogue with the US.

The prime minister’s advisor on foreign affairs and national security Sartaj Aziz, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt-Gen Zaheerul Islam and the premier’s special assistant on foreign affairs Tariq Fatemi were also present during the meeting.

Kerry is expected to arrive in Islamabad on July 31. He had accepted an invitation to visit Pakistan, extended to him by Aziz during a meeting held on the sidelines of the 20th Ministerial Meeting of the Asean Regional Forum on July 2.

The US secretary of state is expected to hold meetings with the president, the prime minister, and the premier’s advisor on foreign affairs and national security on August 1.

Kerry is also likely to hold meetings with Pakistan's top military leadership.

Key issues including drone attacks inside Pakistani territory are expected to be discussed during the US official's visit.

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Pakistan

John Kerry expected to visit Pakistan on July 31

Kerry accepts invitation to Pakistan

Kerry visit: picture unclear even after PM’s intervention

Alec

Jul 31, 2013 03:49pm

And we should assume the recommendations are binding.

Recommend 0

sabeeh omer

Jul 31, 2013 03:58pm

I don't know why Pakistan is looking forward to this visit. Unlike other visits in the past by US officials, have these visits ever yielded anything that Pakistan can rightly be proud of? The US will do what it wants. We will continue to act as silent spectators. It needs a leader like Iran's and people like Irans who can stand up to safe guard their honor and pride.

Recommend 0

syed baqar ahsan

Jul 31, 2013 04:08pm

BE-CAREFUL! just take Kerry's visit normal for two reason:-he is now secretary of state and not that old friend John Kerry(USA govt was using him for their purpose) secondly in this region India is very important for them as compare to Pakistan in Afghanistan-Americans do such stupidity repeatedly.What all Americans spending in Pakistan is for their purpose to remain involved in our matter for their strategic objective.Better now stop expecting because it took us nowhere-long history of double gaming.

Recommend 0

Naeem Fakir

Jul 31, 2013 04:20pm

John Kerry has always been a friend and should be respected as such.

Recommend 0

US Centcom

Jul 31, 2013 06:26pm

We share a common stance against terrorism, and our shared will and desire to stabilize the region continues to binds us together. It is easy to see that our nations are working hard to create a healthy working relationship. We

Recommend 0

Turbo

Jul 31, 2013 06:45pm

shady rulers allowing drone strikes and lying to the people!

Recommend 0

DMDIL

Jul 31, 2013 07:10pm

IF he is US Secretary of State, then shouldn't he able to meet our Secretary of Pakistan? why meet our PM and General? when our President, PM goes there, Their President, PM don't look forward to meet us in that sense...

Recommend 0

ghazala

Jul 31, 2013 07:44pm

Welcome to Pakistan Mr.Kerry.Your are fair and has been a friend of Pakistan. USA has has provided billions in Aid to Pakistan and people do not see the aid as it is pocketed by our corrupt leaders.Make sure US Tax payer dollars go directly to people on street in Pakistan than Govt. Giving F16s and millitary aid is useless as both India and Pakistan has Nukes and spending money these arms is useless.

Recommend 0

ailly

Jul 31, 2013 09:34pm

yeah, this was coming a meeting with COAS. Nawaz took some dictation from COAS. nothing to worry about, after all he cannot talk alone one on one with amercians so he took some good english lessons better than calling "sweeter than honey and higher than himalaya" statement which he gave to media about Pak-China relations.

Recommend 0

naz

Jul 31, 2013 11:15pm

ek thaili ke chatte batte!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recommend 0

Caz

Jul 31, 2013 11:37pm

The puppet master has arrived.

Recommend 0

Ajaya K Dutt

Aug 01, 2013 05:01am

@syed baqar ahsan: Double gaming. Who is doing that?

Recommend 0

Chris

Aug 01, 2013 05:16am

Kayani is the real power.

Recommend 0

Pakistan

Aug 01, 2013 09:45am

What Iran and pride? I work with many Irani's. They are living a life of a prisoners. They cannot do any thing according to their will. The Shura there tell them how their wives and daughters and sons should be, while they follow thier every command because the alternative is to be picked up without any problem by the govt. The Irani's are suffering but what we pakistanis do now is that we just want to say or do anything that would be total nonsense. Somebody kill someone and he becomes the better person. Saudi and Iran is for the pride and power of a group of few people ruling over the majority of oppressed people.

Recommend 0

Indian

Aug 01, 2013 11:59am

@sabeeh omer: Iran has oil and 30% of world oil exports goes thro' Hormoz gulf. Iranian Army/Navy and Airforce is very powerful. If they decide to block Hormoz gulf even for 2-3 days it will raise the oil price by 200-500% world wide. That's the reason the US don't want to mess up with Iran. But What pakistan has today ? Except the begging bowl? Beggers are not chooser .. Remember that

Recommend 0