British home secretary to discuss policy on terrorism
ISLAMABAD, April 5: British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is arriving here on Monday on a two-day official visit to discuss ways of enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation between Pakistan and Britain.
It will be the second high-profile visit by a British official after President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Gordon Brown reached an understanding for deepening cooperation against terrorism and extremism in January this year.
Earlier, a high-powered UK delegation, led by British prime minister’s security adviser Robert Hannigan, had on Jan 18 visited Pakistan and held a series of meetings with senior Pakistani officials.
Ms Smith will call on Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik.
Besides reviewing the current level of cooperation between the two countries, she was also expected to explore new areas where the two sides could work together, officials said.
Pakistan and Britain have had extensive security cooperation after British citizens of Pakistani origin were found involved in the 7/7 and 21/7 bombing attacks in London in 2005. Several arrests were made on information provided by the Pakistani authorities.