Islamabad/Washington: Signalling a possible thaw in Pakistan-US relations, ISI chief Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam will visit Washington next week to hold talks on counter terrorism cooperation and to improve the fractured bilateral ties.
Mr Islam's first visit to US comes two months after he had postponed an earlier scheduled trip in May citing "pressing commitments".
The ties between the two allies had spiralled down over the cross-border NATO air strike in November last year that had killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Mr Islam, who was appointed in March, will hold talks with CIA chief David Petraeus, and other senior American officials to discuss matters related to counter-terrorism cooperation.
According to Pakistani media reports, Mr Islam will take up the contentious issue of drone strikes carried out by spy planes in Pakistan.
Pakistan is likely to push a plan to replace the CIA drone campaign with Pakistani F-16 strikes, and eventually its own armed drone fleet, a proposal that US officials say they have rejected before.
The visit of Mr Islam is seen as a major development in bilateral ties which has gone through a very rocky patch since the last 18 months.
A number incidents including the US unilateral raid in Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden had send the relations spiralling downward.
The biggest blow came after the November incident following which Pakistan closed down NATO supply routes to Afghanistan and a number of US military personnel were asked to leave.
Back in May when Mr Islam had postponed his visit, US and Pakistan were still deadlocked on a number of issues particularly the reopening of NATO supply routes.
The supply routes finally reopened on July 4 after US officials expressed regret over the loss of Pakistani soldiers' lives.
Mr Islam's first visit to US comes two months after he had postponed an earlier scheduled trip in May citing "pressing commitments".
The ties between the two allies had spiralled down over the cross-border NATO air strike in November last year that had killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
According to Pakistani media reports, Mr Islam will take up the contentious issue of drone strikes carried out by spy planes in Pakistan.
Advertisement
The visit of Mr Islam is seen as a major development in bilateral ties which has gone through a very rocky patch since the last 18 months.
Advertisement
The biggest blow came after the November incident following which Pakistan closed down NATO supply routes to Afghanistan and a number of US military personnel were asked to leave.
Advertisement
The supply routes finally reopened on July 4 after US officials expressed regret over the loss of Pakistani soldiers' lives.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
New ISI Chief shares tenuous link with SRK Travel Influencer Aanvi Kamdar Dies After Falling Off A Waterfall Near Mumbai Amid Huge Row, Karnataka Pauses Bill For Reservation In Private Sector Firms Trainee IAS Summoned By Pune Cops Over Harassment Claims Against Collector Maharashtra Government Declares Job Training And Stipend Scheme Three Indians On Global Student Prize 2024 Top 50 shortlist Prime Accused In INDIA's Bihar Ally's Brutal Murder Arrested Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.