During a meeting today with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari at the White House, President Obama said “he is looking forward to visiting Pakistan later this year,” the White House announced a few minutes ago.

In a statement, the White House also said that the two leaders’ “discussion focused on our shared efforts to fight terrorism and promote regional stability, specifically on the importance of cooperating toward a peaceful and stable outcome in Afghanistan” and that Obama “underscored the importance of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship and our continued support for Pakistan.”

During a trip across Asia in November, Obama paid a visit to Pakistan’s historic rival — India — but not to Pakistan. Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.