US confirms Trump’s meeting with Imran Khan

Washington/Islamabad: US President Donald Trump will welcome Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan to

the White House on July 22, the White House confirmed Wednesday.

The White House statement comes a day after US State Department denied any knowledge of PM Khan’s visit

to the US.

During a weekly briefing, the US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, when asked what meetings

had been scheduled for PM Khan’s visit, had replied, “To my knowledge, that has actually not been confirmed

by the White House.”

“We don’t have anything to announce here from the State Department,” she had said.

“The visit will focus on strengthening cooperation between the United States and Pakistan to bring peace,

stability, and economic prosperity to a region that has seen far too much conflict,” White House said in a

statement late Wednesday.

The statement said that PM Khan and President Trump will discuss a range of issues, including counter-

terrorism, defense, energy and trade with the goal of creating the conditions for a peaceful South Asia.

Meanwhile, a foreign ministry statement said Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit the United States on the

invitation of President Donald Trump, on July 21-23.

This would be the first summit-level engagement between Pakistan and the United States since both leaders

assumed their respective offices, the ministry said in a statement.

During the visit, Prime Minister Khan and President Trump would have wide-ranging interaction at the White

House on 22 July 2019 covering bilateral and regional matters.

The Prime Minister will also be meeting prominent members of the U.S. Congress, corporate leaders and

opinion makers as well as members of the Pakistani diaspora, the statement said.

During his various engagements in Washington, the Prime Minister will outline his vision of “NayaPakistan”

and underscore the importance Pakistan attaches to a broader and multi-faceted relationship with the United

States.

In the regional context, the Prime Minister will underscore Pakistan’s commitment to peace and stability and

the importance of constructive engagement to promote a political solution in Afghanistan. He will also

highlight Pakistan’s policy of “peaceful neighbourhood” aimed at resolving disputes through dialogue and

promoting the vision of peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia and beyond.

The Prime Minister’s visit will help renew and reinvigorate long-standing ties between Pakistan and the

United States. It will contribute towards building a broad-based, long-term and enduring partnershipbetween

the two countries on the basis of mutual interest and mutual benefit.