Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif speaks to media in London. PHOTO: PID
LONDON: With meetings with top US officials, including President Barack Obama, scheduled for next week, prime minister Nawaz Sharif stopped over in London where he indicated that topics like drones, trade and the situation in Afghanistan will dominate his talks, Express News reported.
Nawaz, who left Pakistan early on Saturday, made a stop in London, including at his Park Lane residence. After touching down in Luton, he paid a courtesy call on Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s ill wife before making his way to London.
Express News correspondent Naseem Siddiqui said that Nawaz spoke with reporters outside his London home. The premier said that the subject of drone strikes will be brought up with US officials. He added that US authorities will be told that the strikes are an attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty.
According to the foreign office, Nawaz will fly to Washington from London on Sunday.
In Washington, Nawaz is expected to attend an event organised by Pakistan-US Business Council, and address the US Institute of Peace.
Among the US officials he is scheduled to meet, Nawaz will meet with US Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, and members of Congress in the United States.
The meeting with Obama is slated to be held at the Oval Office in the White House on October 23.
Economic and bilateral trade ties along with the regional situation in Afghanistan on the agenda.
Nawaz, who was in New York late last month for the UN General Assembly, will have a short three day tour of US from October 20 to 23.
COMMENTS (15)
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@Syed A. Mateen: Most Pakistanis putting on blinkers are living in a very false hope that this mad bull would stop the present mayhem after drone strikes are stopped and foreign troops leave Afghanistan. The fact of the matter is that TTP has the definite agenda of imposing sharia and subsequently rule the country which can only be achieved by creating an anarchy like situation in the country, whereas drone issue is just an excuse to continue its barbarities. However, for some unexplained reasons, your military who is quite competent to untame this mad bull is sitting in the spectators stand, watching it massacring their own people but remains unmoved.
indian terrorism in Pakistan should also be part of agenda for US talks
ahh pakistan should start living with drones now...... and infact get used to drones bombing karachi and lahore.....coz world knows and pakistan knows that drones aren;t going anywhere.....:) :D
The UN report which has been recently released and duly endorsed by the Pak Foreign office says that in drone attacks carried out since 2004, a total of 2200 people were killed and out of which 1800 were terrorists which implies that 81 % terrorists were eliminated which is a very high success rate and most difficult to achieve by ground operations and other means. No wonder, mostly militant organisations are dead against the drone attacks since the same has proved to be the most lethal weapon in eliminating their top commanders.
@numbersnumbers: " not "
Drones part of agenda Provided that if US doesn't release Coalition Support Fund and $1.6bn aid......
@Syed A. Mateen: - " With the halt of US drone attacks on Pakistan, the suicide bombing by TTP will also stopped in Pakistan."
Americans make drone strikes in Waziristan ( not elsewhere) because terrorists have sanctuary over there. Pakistani army too can not go there( forget about the civilian authorities ) to establish their writ. TTP has strange logic to Kill the innocent pakistani civilian( and also the soldiers) as drone strikes are being attacked on them. Does the innocent pakistani citizens have any control to stop or allow the drone strikes. The answer is known to all including the terrorists. it is a big NO. So TTP which can not stop the drone strikes chooses to strike back on the poor civilians . Logic is If I can not beat my enemy( America) I will beat / kill those whom I can . That too with justification linked to religion. The terrorists/ extremists has changed the definition of logic too just like they have changed the meaning of Islam to suit them. So Mateen saheb and likes subscribe to the changed definition of logic by TTP. Good luck?
Yes,, its part of agenda, but only to re-confirm its continuation.
Would you care to share the size of the entourage
Taliban are scared of drones as is the pak army. These are effective tools to keep both at bay. More drones should be used as our politicians and army will not do anything to finish the taliban menace since they are partners in crime
Pakistan is coming on bargaining position but still nation need a brave leader to take good step for pull out from this situation. PM must tell to us authorities that if drone attack will not be stop then we have no other option expect to come out from war on terrorism due to our position. So must be mark on US withdrawal of Afghanistan in 2014
@Starbucks: No more need for those payments but trade is ok ( but not needed because Pakistan has China)
China is not going to give billions of dollars of Zakat Pakistan is getting from USA.
It is time for Nawaz to implement APC resolution and tell US that Pak is pulling out of war . No more need for those payments but trade is ok ( but not needed because Pakistan has China)
WOW, "(drone) strikes are an Attack on Pakistan's Sovereignty"!!!! Gotta protect those high value "Assets of the state" for future use! Since when does Pakistan have any Sovereign control over the FATA region (also know as the Caliphate of Talibanistan)!!!!