Islamabad, Mar. 4 : The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Armed Forces, Admiral Michael Mullen met Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Asfaq Parvez Kiyani in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

Admiral Mullen, who was on his second visit to Pakistan in the last month, is believed to have discussed the regional security situation and the measures being taken to address it with President Musharraf at his Camp Office.

He is also believed to have discussed the role both countries were playing in the global war against terror.

President Musharraf briefed Admiral Mullen on the geo-strategic situation.

Admiral Mullen also visited the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and met with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. Both the leaders discussed professional and regional issues. Sources said that both leaders met twice during the visit of Admiral Mullen.

Admiral Michael Mullen last visited Pakistan in the second week of February, and had then said that he believed Pakistan's nuclear assets were in safe hands, and that the United States harboured no hopes of establishing a military presence in this country.

"Pakistan is a sovereign country and this is a sacred trust for the people of the United States. The US understands that in no shape or form will the US attack Pakistan," Admiral Mullen had told reporters then.

During his then three-day first official visit to Pakistan, Admiral Mullen met President Pervez Musharraf, General Tariq Majeed, the Chairman of the Pakistan Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the chief of the Strategic Planning Division, Lt-Gen (retired) Khalid Kidwai.

He described his meetings then as 'valuable' and was certain that Pakistan remained focused on the war against terror.

Responding to criticism in Washington that military assistance to Pakistan should be stopped, he said: "I am comfortable that the money (U. S. aid to Pakistan) has been spent in the right quarters."

He said there was realisation in both countries that the threat from extremists was going up and this threat was not likely to go away soon.

After his meetings with the Pakistani leadership on Tuesday, Admiral Mullen left for Afghanistan. (ANI)