E-Paper
Rocca touches base in Pak before Delhi
US Asst Secy of State for S. Asia Christina Rocca made a short unannounced visit to Islamabad and met several top officials including President Musharraf before arriving in Delhi.
US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca made a short unannounced visit to Islamabad and met several top officials including President Pervez Musharraf before she went to New Delhi.
Pakistan media had speculated that a top US official made a "secret" visit along with a large delegation.
Officials here today confirmed that Rocca spent few hours in Islamabad before she left for New Delhi.
Her unannounced visit came in the midst of investigations into the nuclear proliferation allegedly by Pakistan nuclear scientists including the father of the country's nuclear bomb, Dr. A.Q. Khan.
Rocca's visit came ahead of US Secretary of State, Collin Powell's proposed visit to Islamabad later this month to discuss a host of issues including the details of the investigations against Dr. Khan and his colleagues as well as the ongoing operations to track down Al Qaeda and Taliban militants hiding in the Pak-Afghan borders.
Rocca reportedly discussed the prospects of the talks with the Pakistan officials before she headed for New Delhi, where she was scheduled to meet number Indian officials.
The visit was kept as a secret. Local daily 'Dawn' reported that a top US official heading 24 member delegation visited Islamabad last night but did not reveal the name.
