Kerry arrives in Pakistan for two-day official visit

ISLAMABAD - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday arrived in Islamabad on an unannounced two-day official visit to Pakistan in which he will meet Pakistan's political and military leadership and will discuss bilateral relations and the regional security situation, local media reported.

Senior officials from the Pakistani government and a senior official from the US desk of the Foreign Office along with senior protocol officers and senior US embassy diplomats in Islamabad received Senator Kerry when he arrived after completing his visit to India.

Kerry will meet Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif later in the evening at the Prime Minister's House in Islamabad.

On Tuesday, Kerry will lead a US delegation at the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan in Islamabad for the Pakistan-US strategic dialogue.

After the dialogue, he will meet Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif at the General Headquarters of Pakistan army in garrison city of Rawalpindi to discuss security and defense cooperation between the two countries, the reports said.

Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan's foreign ministry said Pakistan and United States will discuss all aspects of their bilateral relations, regional and international situation during the forthcoming Pak-US Strategic Dialogue process.

"The visit of John Kerry to Pakistan for the strategic dialogue process will open new avenues of cooperation between the two countries," the foreign ministry statement said.

The last session of the dialogue was held in Washington in January last year.

The Strategic Dialogue will focus mainly on energy, security, strategic stability, non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, economy, law enforcement and defense related issues.