US NSA to visit Pakistan on Sunday

US National Security Advisor (NSA) Susan E. Rice is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Sunday on a day-long official visit, a media report said on Saturday.

Rice is expected to meet Pakistan's political and military leadership over bilateral relations and the regional security situation, Dawn reported.

Rice is also expected to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

A top military source also confirmed a separate meeting with the army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif, at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where the regional security situation is likely to be discussed.

Earlier this week, expressing disappointment at the cancellation of the proposed talks between the NSAs of India and Pakistan, the US has urged the two neighbours to resume a formal dialogue soon.

"We are disappointed the talks will not happen this weekend and encourage In­­dia and Pakistan to re­­sume formal dialogue soon," said State Department spokesman John Kirby.

The US official, however, noted that Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi did have a "constructive interaction" in the Russian town of Ufa, last month.