Chief of American Central Command (CENTCOM) Gen. John Abizaid arrived in Islamabad on Monday for talks with Pakistani military officials on "professional" matters, Pakistani military sources said.  

Abizaid supervises the US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq and has come to Pakistan at a time when thousands of Pakistani forces are engaged in major military operation against al-Qaeda suspects in South Waziristan tribal area, bordering Afghanistan.

General Abizaid is to meet President Musharraf and other top military officials during his visit, the local news agency News Network International quoted an official of the Inter-Service Public Relations as saying. However, there was no official word who Abizaid would meet.

"This is a routine visit and the focus of the talks would be discussing professional matters," the official said.

It is believed that the American general is likely to discuss the on-going operation in tribal region.

But the military sources insisted that Abizaid's visit was routine and had been planned before the current military operation was started.

Pakistani officials say there is no involvement of US forces in the operation but admit that about a dozen intelligence agents are helping with technical and logistical support.

It is the second visit of Abizaid to Pakistan in less than three months. He last visited Pakistan in January and had a meeting with President Pervez Musharraf.

General Abizaid's visit comes few days after the trip to Islamabad by US Secretary of State, Collin Powell, who declared to name Pakistan as the major non-NATO ally.

(Xinhua News Agency March 23, 2004)