US, Pakistan to hold round six of dialogue

The wide-ranging dialogues will cover economy, security and counter-terrorism, amid strong opposition by India as well as US lawmakers on the proposed F-16 deal to Islamabad. 

Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz will lead the Pakistani delegation to Washington where the dialogue is scheduled, while Secretary of State John Kerry will lead the US side. 

The meeting comes after US announced the sale of eight F-16 fighters, worth $700 million to Pakistan amid despite objection from India and  opposition from influential American lawmakers. 

The dialogues will cover cooperation in economy, finance, energy, education, science and technology, law enforcement and defence among others. It will be the third annual meeting since the present government has come to power. 

The dialogue process began in 2010 but interrupted in 2011 when the US forces killed al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in a midnight raid. The process resumed in 2014 when Aziz and Kerry met in Washington in January.