British PM begins official visit to Pakistan

British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Islamabad on an official visit Saturday to hold wide-range talks with Pakistani leadership, officials said. Cameron arrived in Pakistan after his two-day visit to Afghanistan where he met with British soldiers and held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on peace process. Minister for Science and Technology, Zahid Hamid, received the British Prime Minister on his arrival in Islamabad. Cameron will hold talks with Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on the regional situation with particular reference to the Afghan peace and reconciliation process. Both leaders will also discuss ways to further expand bilateral cooperation in various fields. Cameron will call on President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday. He will also meet business leaders and discuss new avenues of bilateral cooperation in enhancing trade and investment. He will have interaction with young students and discuss various regional and international issues with them. Reports said that during the visit, Cameron and Sharif would get a chance to assess the progress achieved in the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue the two countries have been holding since 2011. The dialogue covers five areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and business, finance and development assistance, education and health and culture, and defence and security.