Islamabad, Oct 06: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage began talks with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf today, after hailing his campaign against Islamic extremism and last week's raid of a suspected al-Qaeda hideout. Armitage, accompanied by assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs Christina Rocca, called on Musharraf at army headquarters in Rawalpindi, next to the capital Islamabad, a Pakistani official told a news agency.

The two envoys will later hold talks with Defence Ministry officials and meet Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri for a working lunch, the official said. Armitage has just returned from a day-trip to Kabul, where he lauded Pakistan's stepped-up efforts to curb suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.

Bureau Report