Islamabad: Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, who is expected to meet United States President Barack Obama at the White House on October 22, hopes to gain support for Pakistan's role in the war against terror, and change the image asserted by India of the country sponsoring cross-border terrorism.
Foreign Office officials said the meeting will give Sharif a chance to rebut India's assertion that Pakistan is disturbing regional peace and sponsoring terrorism. “Pakistan was also disappointed last month when the US and India agreed to deepen cooperation in fighting terrorism and asked Pakistan to bring to justice the 2008 Mumbai attack perpetrators,” a media source reported.
The joint statement after India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue ahead of the UN General Assembly last month prompted Sharif to blame India during his UNGA address. Pakistan's envoy to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi also presented three dossiers accusing India of sponsoring terrorism in Karachi, Balochistan and the northwestern tribal areas. Sharif had proposed a four-point “new peace initiative” calling for demilitarising Kashmir and Siachen glacier, and formalising the 2003 ceasefire. India rejected it insisting that Pakistan “must stop supporting terrorism” before talks can be held.
“The prime minister expressed the hope that the visit will also help in providing Pakistan with an opportunity to highlight the matchless sacrifices and huge losses in the war on terror,” said an official statement.
