ISLAMABAD – A High level Pentagon delegation is arriving in Pakistan toseek Islamabad’s crucial support over Afghanistan endgame in the region.

A high-level delegation of the US Department of Defence is going to visitPakistan next where it will hold meetings with Pakistan’s civil andmilitary leadership.

Assistant Secretary Defense Randall Schriver announced this in a statementon Friday. He was speaking at an event organized by Pakistan Embassy tocommemorate ‘Defence and Martyrs Day’ in Washington D.C.

Randall hoped that the two countries would capitalize on their renewedrelationship. He said that the ties between the armed forces were a strongpillar for this relationship.

We are appreciative of Pakistani leadership in its cooperation in achievingthe objective of peace in the region.

Commenting on the Afghan peace process, the US Defence Secretary said thathis country hasn’t crossed the finish line yet and needed Pakistan’s helpin achieving peace in the region.

We appreciate everything Pakistan has done to get us to this point, and weappreciate the cooperation that we know we will continue over that vitalwork. The two countries should talk about where this relationship can go onthe future and how we can even strengthen and improve cooperation, all thechallenges that we have notwithstanding.

This year’s Defence Day was also commemorated as Solidarity Day withKashmir. Ambassador to US Asad Majeed Khan and Defence Attaché Brig KamalAnwar Chaudhry also attended the event.