US senators on special tour of Pakistan

Islamabad: ’Chief of Senate Armed service committee’ of the US parliament Mr. John McCain along with the three senior members of the US Parliament visited Pakistan. The committee had meeting with Pakistan’s military leader,General Raheel Sharif along with Pakistan’s Federal Cabinet Foreign Affairs in-charge Mr. Sartaj Aziz. This meeting was important to improve the relations between Pakistan and United States, which,have been frayed over the past decade, with U.S. officials frustrated by what they term Islamabad’s unwillingness to act against Islamist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network.

There is a need to develop a positive relationship between US and Pakistan seeing the current scenario. Both are fighting for the issues such as ISIS, radical Islam and terrorism. Mr. McCain commented“I see us working together in confronting a common challenge – radical Islamic terrorism – and these kinds of meetings are very helpful for both the countries”.. Pakistan top foreign policy official, Sartaj Aziz briefed the U.S. delegation – which includes Senators Lindsey Graham, Benjamin Sasse and Joe Donnelly – about faltering peace talks to end the civil war.

The committee also visited Pakistan’s North Waziristan region. The area was formerly regarded as a terrorist hideout and staging area for attacks in Afghanistan, but, has largely been cleared of insurgents, in part because of U.S. drone strikes. Pakistan army chief invited the committee to visit ‘Miran Shah’, an area of North Waziristan and personally witness of what the Pakistan Army have achieved. The area was visited by members of the Senate that has been cleared of terrorists in the operation. USA has always claimed of Pakistan getting soft in dealing with the terrorist groups. USA has demanded that Pakistan should take strict action against the terrorist group, named as ’Haqqani Network’. USA also warned Pakistan that no financial aid will be sanctioned, if, Pakistan continues to support the ’Haqqani Network’.

The committee is scheduled to visit Afghanistan after their Pakistan tour.