ISLAMABAD: Leading US Senator Lindsey Graham vowed Sunday to urge PresidentDonald Trump to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President AshrafGhani to boost Washington’s Afghanistan peace efforts.
The Republican — an influential ally of Trump — made the comments inIslamabad after meeting with the Pakistani leader, saying Khan was an”agent of change” and a “new partner” who could potentially help with apeace deal in Afghanistan.
“I’m going to urge him (Trump) to meet with the prime minister as soon aspractical,” Graham told reporters, saying he believed Khan and Trump would”hit it off” because they have “similar personalities”.
“Prime Minister Khan is the agent of change that I’ve been looking for,” headded, lauding the premier’s vision for a political resolution of theAfghan issue.
A meeting with Khan, who has declared strong support for a peace agreementin Afghanistan, would leave Trump “far more enthusiastic about the regionthan he is today”.
“With Prime Minister Khan, we have a unique opportunity to change ourrelationship,” he said. A previously transactional relationship, based onrewards for services rendered, should be replaced by “strategicengagement”, including a free trade agreement, he said.
While speaking to media, the Senator also mentioned that Chief of the ArmyStaff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had hosted a dinner in his honour.He said whatever the Pakistan Army has done in the past 18 months has beenthe US’ wish for 18 years.
Graham, whose comments add to the growing signs of improved relationsbetween Islamabad and Washington, said the US cannot move away fromAfghanistan as it has a lot to do here and Pakistan installing border fenceis a positive step. Washington, he added, was mistaken to continuouslychange its policy vis-à-vis Pakistan. – Agencies