US President Bill Clinton also spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over phone yesterday and is said to have discussed the Kashmir issue, peace and security in South Asia as well as nuclear non-proliferation, reports from Washington said.

The Nation said the government is summoning a joint session of Parliament on Friday to discuss and get its OK on signing the CTBT. This decision was reportedly taken before Sharif left for London last night.

The paper quoted a senior government official as saying that ``now it is not the question of if but a question of when'' to sign the CTBT as the ``decision to sign the treaty has been made.''

He, however, said the government was apprehensive about a possible public backlash following clear warnings by religious parties, mainly the Jamaat-e-Islami against signing the treaty.

Reports from London said the Pakistan High Commission has described Sharif's visit as ``private.'' Analysts, however, are of the view that Sharif plans to meet MQM leader Altaf Hussain. One Pakistani academic said ``it's deal-making time'' and it would be surprising if Sharif did not meet the MQM leader while in London.

A spokesperson for the MQM claimed, however, that no meeting had been arranged. He said ``there is talk that he is here to meet us but from what we know he is here to visit Sheikh Zaid who is ill.'' Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zaid is known to be close to the Sharif family and to have extensive business interests in Pakistan. There are also no meetings planned between Sharif and British foreign office ministers.