ISI chief in US to hold talks with CIA head

Washington: Pakistan's ISI chief Lt Gen Zaheer-ul-Islam on Wednesday arrived in Washington on his maiden visit to the US as the apy agency head to hold crucial talks with his CIA counterpart Gen (rtd) David Petraeus.

Islam is scheduled to hold his first official meeting with Petraeus.

Islam is expected to raise the issue of opposition of continued drone strikes by the US in the tribal areas of the country, and the recent increasing incidents of alleged crossing over of terrorist based in Afghanistan.

ISI chief Zaheer-ul-Islam.

The CIA refused to comment on the meeting between the two intelligence chiefs.

Islam is also expected to drive down to the Capitol Hill to meet top Congressmen, in particular those members of the intelligence and foreign affairs committees.

The ISI chief is expected to "strongly articulate" the viewpoint of ISI to the US lawmakers, who of late have been strongly critical of the Pakistani spy agency's role in the war against terrorism. Islam is also expected to demand an end to drone strikes.

In lieu, the Pakistani spy chief is likely to offer to take action against terrorist networks and to "deploy F-16s" in the tribal areas, but would seek greater intelligence sharing from the United States.

"From Wednesday, Petraeus and General Islam will seek to rebuild a counterterrorism relationship that has severely frayed, Pakistani and American officials said," The New York Times said ahead of the meeting.

"Petraeus will try to forge a relationship with him," a senior Obama administration official was quoted as saying.

"We've got business to do. Let's get on with it," the official said.

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