Imran Khan to meet Donald Trump on July 22 to improve bilateral ties

Prime Minister Imran Khan will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on July 22, said the Foreign Office on Thursday, adding that the talks between the two leaders focus on improving ties between the two countries.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on July 22, said the Foreign Office on Thursday, adding that the talks between the two leaders focus on improving ties between the two countries. Dawn quoted Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal, during his weekly media briefing here, as saying that the prime minister will be visiting Washington on the invitation of Trump.

Khan's visit will also focus on "important regional matters", the spokesperson added. This will be Khan's first visit to the US since assuming power last year following Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf 's victory in the general elections.

The confirmation of the meeting between the two leaders came two days after the US State Department on Tuesday designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a global terrorist organisation. Followingly on Wednesday, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab province on Wednesday registered cases of terror financing and money laundering under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, against top 13 leaders of the proscribed Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD), including its chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been wanted in India for plotting the deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror blasts that killed more than 200 people.

The United States, which has pressured Pakistan to crack down on militant groups, has offered a USD 10 million bounties for evidence leading to Saeed's conviction. Qureshi had told reporters last month that Trump had invited the prime minister in June but he could not undertake the visit because of the budget session.

Pakistan has helped the United States in jumpstarting the ongoing US-Taliban dialogue. Earlier on January 3, Trump had told a cabinet meeting that he wanted "to have a great relationship with Pakistan, but they house the enemy, they take care of the enemy".

Then in March, Trump had said he hoped to meet Pakistani leaders soon as he acknowledged that relations between the two countries are "now very good". Trump was consistent in his criticism of Pakistan after launching his South Asia and Afghanistan strategy in 2017. (ANI)

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