Sharif discusses security situation with Kayani, ISI chief

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today chaired a high-level meeting attended by Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI head Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam during which the overall security situation of the country and his upcoming visit to the US was discussed.

"The meeting discussed matters pertaining to national security and reviewed the overall security situation of the country," said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

It said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Advisor to the Prime Minister on National security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Tariq Fatemi, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, also attended the meeting.

According to media reports, the meeting also discussed the process of peace talks with the militants.

Sharif is scheduled to meet US President Barack Obama on October 23 in Washington.

Special US representative to Af-Pak James Dobbins had held meeting with Aziz yesterday to shape up the agenda points for Sharif's trip to Washington.

Views were also exchanged on the Afghan peace and reconciliation process as well as issues related to Afghanistan post-2014, a statement by the Pakistan Foreign Office had said.

Meanwhile, leader of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Hakimullah Mehsud has said that there should be no pre-conditions for holding peace talks from either side.

In a statement issued from Waziristan, the TTP chief said that it would be premature to present any conditions before engaging in the proposed dialogue, the Geo TV reported.

He said neither the Taliban nor Pakistan government should put forth pre-conditions for the dialogue.

Mehsud further said that if the government wants the TTP to declare a ceasefire, it would first have to have the drone strikes stopped.