Cameron snubbed by Gilani over visit request to Pak at end of Afghanistan trip

LONDON - British Prime Minister David Cameron’s attempts to mend fragile relations with Pakistan have been dashed after being snubbed by Pakistan’s prime minister.

Cameron had asked to go to Islamabad at the end of his Afghanistan trip in a bid to try and patch up contact with Pakistan, following his controversial remark during his visit to India that Pakistan faced ‘both ways on terror’, the Daily Mail reported.

But his attempt to invite himself ended in a firm refusal, as Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that he did not want to be ‘tagged on’ to a visit to Afghanistan.

Cameron often tries to squeeze several countries into a single foreign visit, as the busy premier has to try and deal with the recession and cuts agenda at home.

His last trip to the region had ended with Cameron causing great offence- first to Pakistan for casting doubt on its commitment to fighting terror, and second to Israel for criticising their treatment of the Palestinians while addressing Turkey, which is also a Muslim country. (ANI)