PM to attend NATO summit in US

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani would participate in the upcoming NATO summit on the future of Afghanistan in Chicago on the special invitation of the US President Barack Obama, who is hosting the event.
Earlier, Pakistan had boycotted the Bonn conference on Afghanistan as a mark of protest following the Salala check post attack which had killed 26 Pakistani soldiers.
Well-placed sources told Online on Saturday that the US President Obama had invited his Pakistani counterpart President Asif Ali Zardari to participate in the 2-day high level gathering through his special representative for the region Marc Grossman; however the president suggested that prime minister should represent the country in the summit.
Sources maintained that though, the invitation was directly addressed to the president but president Zardari has named the prime minister for the participation in the NATO summit.
“Following the conviction of the Prime Minister by the apex court, President Zardari has directed to send him to the summit in a bid to convey a strong massage to the opposition that Gilani is still a powerful prime minister,” they added.
Sources said a meeting between the prime minister and the US president could also took place during the sideline of the summit..
Leaders from all around the world are gathering in the summit starting from May 20 and being hosted by President Obama.
“Since, President Obama is hosting the event; therefore he wanted the participation of Pakistan to make the event successful for the future of Afghanistan,” sources said. Sources claimed that President Obama’s move to specially invite the Pakistani President is a bid to defuse the tension between both the allies following Salala check post attack. The Pakistan leadership ,however had already conveyed a strong message to Washington that until apology on Salala check post attack, Pakistan would not proceed further in terms of Pak-US relation.