Nawaz-Obama meeting agenda finalised

PM to enlist US help for fencing the Durand Line

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will raise concerns over a stronger Afghan Taliban and their assault on Kunduz during a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and US President Barack Obama, scheduled to be held later in October.

The agenda for the meeting was decided in a high-level huddle at the PM House in Islamabad on Friday which was attended by Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, along with PM’s Adviser on National Security Sartaj Aziz, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, among others.

An official handout of the meeting stated that they reviewed the security situation in the country.

However, well-placed sources in the government said that the military leadership provided its input on key agenda topics for the upcoming meeting. They discussed the implications of recent military advances by Afghan Taliban. The fall of Kunduz, however brief, was seen as a sign of the militant group’s rising power, which was alarming for Pakistan.

While updating Obama on Pakistan’s efforts to broker talks between the Afghan Taliban and the Afghan government earlier this year, it was decided that Pakistan will seek greater role for China at the table of any future negotiations.

Further, Nawaz and Gen Raheel discussed prospects of putting up a fence on the border with Afghanistan. The proposal was reportedly discussed in this week’s Corps Commanders meeting in Rawalpindi. In this regard, sources said that Pakistan will seek America’s help in convincing Afghanistan to support the endeavor.

Pakistan will also raise the issue of strained ties with India and the frequent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary. India’s involvement in Balochistan will also be raised.

Further, it was decided that Pakistan will renew its demand for access to a civil nuclear deal like the one the US has with India. Nawaz will also discuss defence procurements with Obama.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2015.