WASHINGTON – US Defence Secretary James Mattis has confirmed that the USmilitary chief Joseph Dunford will also accompany the Secretary of state onhis Pakistan tour and the need to fight terrorists would be “the primarypart” of their discussions.

At a Tuesday briefing at the Pentagon, Mr Mattis said the secretary ofstate and the chairman are going to Islamabad to meet with the newgovernment that’s in place.

In their talks with Pakistani officials, the delegation will “make veryclear what we have to do, all of our nations, in meeting our common foe,the terrorists, revealed Mattis.

At the Pentagon briefing, Secretary Mattis did not comment when ajournalist asked if he trusted the new Pakistani leadership’s commitment tofight terrorism.

He also refuted suggestions that private military forces could join the warin Afghanistan, possibly replacing regular US troops.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Joseph F. Dunford,who also attended the briefing, detailed that the US had ‘permanentinterests in South Asia’ and wanted to “maintain a presence (there) to haveinfluence in that region”.

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Gen Dunford are expected in Islamabadin the first week of September for talks with their counterparts.

Gen Dunford’s inclusion in the delegation dispels the impression that theIslamabad tour was not a proper visit but just a stopover, as US state anddefence secretaries were both going to be in New Delhi next week.

The top US delegation is expected to arrive in Pakistan on September 5.They are also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan.