Richard Boucher arrives in Islamabad

US Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia and South Asian affairs, Richard Boucher arrived in here on Monday morning. He is expected to hold talks with Pakistani officials regarding situation in tribal areas.

During his Pakistan visit, he will call on Nawaz Sharif in Lahore on July 2 just prior to the start of his make-or-break talks between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on the restoration of the deposed judges.

Sources said here that Boucher’s recent visit is being seen as one of great importance in the face of the brewing political crisis in Pakistan in the month of July.

Boucher’s visit is a part of the ongoing series of his “routine visits” to Islamabad.

He will also expected to meet PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari during his four-day long sojourn as the latter will be out of the country till July 5.

Boucher will also discuss the ongoing operation on the Pak-Afghan border with Pakistani political leadership, an official said.

Previously, Boucher had met with the PPP and the PML-N leaders in London on May 11 when the talks to resolve the judicial issue between the two major parties were on the verge of collapse.