Special US envoy Marc Grossman is arriving today (Friday) on a daylong visit to hold talks on reviving bilateral strategic dialogue and giving safe passage to Taliban leaders for Afghan peace dialogue.
However, the special envoy’s visit is likely to be overshadowed by deep anger in Pakistan over the anti-Islam movie recently made in the United States.
Pakistan’s top military brass also discussed the bilateral relations in detail at the corps commanders’ meeting on Thursday held in Rawalpindi with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in the chair, as Grossman would also meet the army chief apart from Pakistan’s civilian leadership during his one-day visit.
This is Grossman’s first visit to Islamabad after the restoration of NATO supplies in July, and diplomatic circles in Islamabad are attaching great significance to it. However, the rage and anger in Pakistan over the recent anti-Islam movie is likely to overshadow Grossman’s, according to diplomatic sources. They said that Pakistan would raise the issue of blasphemous movie with the senior American official. During his meetings with the Pakistani leadership, Grossman is expected to discuss the revival of bilateral strategic dialogue, which was suspended by Washington last year because of tense Pakistan-US relations. Another likely subject on his agenda would be Afghanistan peace process. US, Pakistan, and Afghanistan recently held a meeting on giving safe passage to Taliban leaders, who would participate in any future talks with US and Afghan officials. During the meeting, it was agreed to accelerate the process of these negotiations so that the stalled reconciliation process could be given some push and thrust.
However, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the “conference was part of regular monthly meetings.”