Afghan, Pakistan leaders set for talks on militants

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 26 (AFP): Afghan President Hamid Karzai was due in Pakistan for talks with his counterpart Pervez Musharraf, as the two countries struggle to keep a lid on Islamist insurgents along their border. The rugged tribal region has been in the international spotlight since theSeptember 11 attacks on the United States, and the two US-backed leaders have regularly accused each other of not doing enough to rein in militants.
Both leaders, pivotal allies in the US-led "war on terror," have faced a sharp increase in militant violence this year amid global concern about a resurgence of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
It has been the bloodiest year of the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, while Pakistan has seen an unprecedented wave of suicide attacks like those carried out by the Taliban-almost one per week, on average, this year.
It will be the first meeting between Karzai and Musharraf since August, when they attended a tribal assembly or "jirga" to address the militant threat, and Karzai's first visit to Pakistan since February 2006.
"This is an important visit and will help strengthen growing good relations between the two countries," Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq told AFP.
He said the leaders would discuss cooperation in the US-led "war on terror" and the general situation in the region. Musharraf will host a state banquet for the Afghan leader on Wednesday night.
Karzai is also due to meet Pakistan's caretaker prime minister Mohammedian Soomro, who is in office until the country's parliamentary elections on January 8 -- a vote Islamic militants have threatened to disrupt.