PM Imran Khan to meet Trump in US on July 22

Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan will travel to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump on July 22, foreign ministry said Thursday.

The visit came at Trump´s invitation, foreign office spokesman Dr Faisal said at a weekly briefing, adding: “The focus will be to refresh the bilateral relationship”.

The announcement comes as the US is seeking Pakistan´s help in finding a way out of neighbouring Afghanistan, where American forces are now in their 18th year of war.

The spokesman said the agenda of the meeting was being developed through diplomatic channels.

“The focus will be to refresh the bilateral relationship,” he said when asked about Pakistan’s expectations from the maiden official visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to the US since he assumed the government in last August.

Asked if the designation of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US administration was a goodwill gesture ahead of PM Khan’s visit to Washington, the spokesman said, “It was an acknowledgment of Pakistan’s stance”.

“The US has realized and acknowledged the point raised by us [against BLA], and we will continue our efforts in this direction,” he said.