Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who left for New York recently to attend 66th session of the UN General Assembly will have a meeting with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton on Sunday (today). Diplomatic sources said that Clinton is likely to discuss with Khar the issue of 'Haqqani Network', a militant group which carries out operations against the US-led Nato forces inside Afghanistan.
According to Foreign Office, the Khar and Clinton will discuss important issues of mutual interests including the ongoing war against terror and reconciliation process aimed at bringing the armed groups in Afghanistan into the mainstream political set up. They believed that the recent attack by militants in Kabul was a surprise for the US-led Nato forces when a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden truck to a military base and detonated it on the eve of 10th anniversary of 9/11.
"The responsibility of the attack was claimed by Taliban, was really surprising when the US was marking the 10th anniversary of the deadliest al Qaeda attack on 9/11," said a diplomat. At least 77 Nato troops were reportedly wounded in the attack that prompted US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta to threaten Pakistan that Washington would do everything to defend US forces from Pakistan-based militants launching attacks in Afghanistan.
Khar would also be holding bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of a number of countries on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. The foreign minister would also avail the opportunity to ask international community for assistance for the flood affected people. Earlier, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, cancelled his visit to address the 66th session of UNGA owing to the recent floods and outburst of the dengue fever in the country and nominated the foreign minister to lead Pakistan's delegation.