Obama confirms Pakistan visit

It’s decided. Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari will visit Washington later this year and US president Barack Obama will reciprocate by visiting Islamabad next year.

Foreign office sources said Obama personally called Zardari to extend a formal invitation and confirm his visit to Pakistan in the first quarter of next year.

He also assured Zardari that the United States’ relations with New Delhi won’t affect its partnership with Pakistan.

The sources said the US president told Zardari that his upcoming visit to India should not be seen as neglecting Pakistan. In response, the Pakistani leader reportedly said he planned to visit Washington as soon as possible, most probably in November or December.