Top US diplomat to arrive in Pakistan in a first test of PM Imran Khan foreign policy
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ISLAMABAD - In a first test of PM Imran Khan foreign Policy, the top United States diplomat is arriving in Pakistan on a key visit.
US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo is likely to visit Islamabad in the first week of September.
Pompeo will hold consultations with Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team on issues of mutual interests.
Pompeo, who is expected in Islamabad on Sept 5, will likely be the first foreign dignitary to meet the newly elected prime minister, who took oath of his office on Saturday.
During his talks with Pakistani officials, Secretary Pompeo may focus on two major issues: efforts to revive once close ties between the two states and Pakistan’s support for a US-led move to jump-starting the Afghan peace process, the sources said.
Alice Wells, who heads the Bureau for South Asian affairs at the State Department, may also accompany Pompeo, the sources added.
Earlier this week, US officials urged Pakistan to help end the Afghan war, adding that recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan have not discouraged them from negotiating peace with some Taliban factions.
"What we’re seeing here is, there are some factions, some elements of the Taliban that clearly are not on board with peace. Others do want to have peace negotiations and peace discussions," said State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert while commenting on this week’s terrorist attacks in Kabul that killed almost 50 people.
On Tuesday, a senior US official reminded Pakistan that now was the time to peacefully end the 17-year old war in Afghanistan and encouraged Islamabad to play a leading role in this process.
