Afghanistan, terror top Kerry’s agenda on Pak visit

Close on his visit to India, US Secretary of State John Kerry landed in Pakistan late on Wednesday, and this morning held talks with recently-elected Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif. He is expected to talk with army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani later today.

While the rest of his delegation discusses trade and other issues with Pakistan counterparts, Kerry would focus on the impending US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan – an issue that is also exercising India, which has good ties with the current Afghan government.

India fears, and probably rightly, that its largely benevolent presence in Afghanistan will be cut off by its inimical neighbour Pakistan once the US-led troops withdraw.

Kerry also reportedly discussed eliminating safe havens for militants, and the thorny issue of US drones strikes against suspected militants in the Waziristan areas of Pakistan.

Prime Minister Sharif described Kerry as a "wonderful friend".

"I am very happy that he is the secretary of state of the United States of America and I hope to have very good discussions and talks with him," he said.

Kerry commended the Pakistan general election in May, which marked the first time that an elected civilian government completed a full term and democratically handed over power to its successor.

"This is a historic transition that just took place. Nobody should diminish it," Kerry told US embassy staff before the meeting.

While Pakistan is still considered a key ally in US geo-politics, the focus has changed from Cold War concerns to terrorism. Relations have been strained in recent years after the US killing of Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden in May 2011, exacerbated by the drone strikes that have killed many civilians.

However, with the new government relations have stabilised a little.

Pakistan faces mammoth challenges posed by domestic Taliban insurgency, foreign militants on its soil, a crumbling economy, and an energy crisis.

Since winning the May election, Nawaz has said he wants to strengthen Pakistan's relations with Washington, but that the United States must take seriously concerns about drone strikes.

He has made economic growth and resolving the energy crisis the top priority of his new administration, but Kerry will be looking to stress that more must be done on militant havens.