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Pakistan leader misses Brown talk Brown urges firmer Pakistan links
(10 minutes later)
Pakistan's president has cancelled a planned news conference with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Gordon Brown has called for a "stronger relationship" between the UK and Pakistan to fight the threat posed by extremism and terrorism.
Sources suggest Asif Zardari is unhappy with the fallout from anti-terrorist operations in the UK, in which 11 Pakistani nationals were arrested. Speaking in Islamabad, the prime minister said a "strategic dialogue on all the issues" was needed.
Mr Brown still met the president but his press conference took place with Paskstani prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, with whom he also held talks. Mr Brown, standing beside Pakistani PM Yusuf Raza Gilani, pledged £10m to fight extremism in the country.
Mr Brown visited Afghanistan before travelling to Pakistan. Earlier, Pakistan's president pulled out of a joint news conference, amid tensions over recent anti-terror raids.
Operation Pathway - the anti-terrorist operation which took place recently in Liverpool, Manchester and Clitheroe - saw Pakistani nationals arrested and later released without charge . Sources suggest Asif Zardari was unhappy with the fallout from operations in the UK earlier this month, in which 11 Pakistani nationals were arrested.
Ten of the them are in Britain on student visas but are now facing possible deportation proceedings, something which has already been criticised by Pakistan's high commissioner in London, who has called for them to be able to complete their studies. Mr Brown still met the president but his press conference instead took place with Mr Gilani, with whom he also held talks.
'Not disrupted'
Operation Pathway - the anti-terrorist operation which took place recently in Liverpool, Manchester and Clitheroe - saw Pakistani nationals arrested and later released without charge.
Ten of the them are in Britain on student visas but are now facing possible deportation proceedings, something which has already been criticised by Pakistan's high commissioner in London, who said they should be allowed to complete their studies.
At the press conference, this was echoed by Mr Gilani, who said: "I think the law will take its own course and I would also request of the prime minister that their studies should not be disrupted."At the press conference, this was echoed by Mr Gilani, who said: "I think the law will take its own course and I would also request of the prime minister that their studies should not be disrupted."
Mr Brown said: "Today we have agreed a new and stronger relationship between our two countries - vital and urgent work we will undertake together which sets out our shared priorities of tackling violent extremism.
"We will support each other more strongly on counter terrorism activities. We will engage in a strategic dialogue on all the issues surrounding this and we will consider task forces and work streams that will deliver that strategic dialogue for us.
"And we will support this close co-operation immediately by the UK delivering a £10m package of counter terrorism capacity giving assistance to Pakistan's agencies."
Mr Brown earlier went to Afghanistan's Helmand province, where he met British troops.Mr Brown earlier went to Afghanistan's Helmand province, where he met British troops.
After talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, he announced a new strategy for dealing with terrorism across border areas with Pakistan.After talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, he announced a new strategy for dealing with terrorism across border areas with Pakistan.