US diplomat Alice Wells arrives in Pakistan for four-day visit

Published January 19, 2020
Although Chief US diplomat for South Asian affairs Alice Wells' visit comes immediately after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's trip to Washington, her trip had been planned prior. — AP/File
Although Chief US diplomat for South Asian affairs Alice Wells' visit comes immediately after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's trip to Washington, her trip had been planned prior. — AP/File

Chief US diplomat for South Asian affairs, Alice Wells, arrived in Islamabad on Sunday, after wrapping up her tour of India and Sri Lanka, for a four-day visit to Pakistan centered around talks on bilateral issues.

Sources say that during her visit, which will end on Jan 22 (Wednesday), Wells is expected to meet representatives from Pakistan's political and military leadership to talk about several issues, including Pak-US ties, the Afghan reconciliation process, ongoing tensions in the region and Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir.

She will also speak at a think tank and engage with members of civil society on what the US State Department calls “issues of bilateral and regional concern”.

Although Wells' visit comes immediately after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's trip to Washington, her trip had been planned prior.

According to a diplomatic source, the US diplomat is expected to follow up on the foreign minister's discussions in Washington where he met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser Robert O’ Brien, and Under Secretary of Defence John Rood.

The foreign minister recently concluded a three-day visit to the United States — the third leg of his mission to defuse tensions in the Middle East — after having already visited Tehran and Riyadh as part of Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to ease tensions in the region.

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.