General James Mattis, chief of US Central Command (CENTCOM), held separate meetings with Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaque Pervez Kiyani and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne during his trip to Islamabad on Wednesday. According to defense sources, it was agreed during the meetings that Pakistan and the US would further bolster military cooperation. General Mattis praised the role of Pakistani military in battling militants on its soil and said that the US would continue supporting Pakistan in its fight against extremism. The visit comes just days after a US report criticized Pakistan for not adopting a clear path to defeat Islamist insurgents operating in its lawless tribal areas.
