Islamabad: US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel today held talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and new army chief Gen Raheel Sharif on key issues like the Afghan situation and the CIA's drone campaign as part of a push by Washington to remove strains from bilateral relations.
The first visit to the country by an American Defence Secretary in nearly four years came against the backdrop of efforts by the US to defuse tensions over controversial drone strikes and Pakistan's role in Afghanistan.
Hagel called on Sharif and held “in-depth exchanges” on a range of issues of mutual interest.
They agreed to “work together to strengthen Pakistan-US relations and advance the shared interest of a stable, secure and prosperous Pakistan and the region”, said a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Office.
Sharif “conveyed Pakistan's deep concern over continuing US drone strikes”, and said these attacks were “counter-productive to our efforts to combat terrorism and extremism on an enduring basis”.
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