US must share its road-map towards Afghanistan: PM

Director US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Mr. Leon E. Panetta called on Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and D.G. ISI General Shujaa Pasha on Friday. Prime Minister Gilani has emphasized that the United States must fully share the contours of its road-map towards Afghanistan and ensure incorporation of Pakistans input in it.During the meeting between PM Gilani and Leon Panetta, US review of its new policy on Afghanistan came under discussion. The Prime Minister underscored that the US policy towards Afghanistan must take into account Pakistans concerns relating to the possible surge of US and ISAF forces in Afghanistan which may entail negative implications for the situation in Balochistan. He stressed that the new Afghan policy of US government should not disturb the regional balance in South Asia. The Prime Minister said that it was imperative to remove misgivings, build trust and seek to align the respective strategic concepts of both Pakistan and the US to steadfastly move forward in the strategic partnership between the two countries. Prime Minister Gilani underlined the need for close coordination between the intelligence agencies of both sides to effectively counter the prevalent misperceptions in relationship.Director of US Central Intelligence Agency assured the Prime Minister that the US is fully conscious of Pakistans pivotal role in the war against terrorism and in the restoration of stability in Afghanistan. The US considers Pakistan a strategic partner with whom it wants to build a long term and sustained relationship even beyond the cooperation in countering the militancy and extremism, he added.He agreed with the Prime Minister that operational functioning between the two militaries and intelligence agencies is the need of the hour for eliminating the threat of terrorism.