ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to visit United States thisyear as the relations between the allies in war against terror are onceagainst moving towards ‘stability’ with Pakistan helping the US to find anegotiated settlement of Afghanistan.
“Ice has been broken; we are gradually moving towards the stablerelations,” senior Republican and a close aide to US president, Sajid Tararsaid during an exclusive discussion with The Nation.
Tarar discussed the highs and lows of relations between the two countriesand said that their relations could not stabilise after former al-Qaedachief Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces in 2011.
Already-tense relations between the United States and Pakistan took anosedive when Trump accused the country of deceiving Washington in theglobal campaign against terror. Trump justified his decision to cut aid toPakistan, telling Fox News that Pakistan ‘don’t do a damn thing’ for the USand blaming Islamabad for allegedly sheltering former al-Qaeda chief Osamabin Laden.
“Previous governments (in Pakistan) could not focus on foreign policy. Theyhad no advocacy plans, no diplomacy. But things have now started improvingnow,” Tarar said.
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The United States administration is looking forward to Prime Minister ImranKhan’s visit.
“To plan about Prime Minister Imran Khan’s trip is part of my agenda. Khanwill come to US before 2020 and would have a wonderful reception. Theadministration is looking forward to see Khan in the US. Not only the US,the west is expecting positive results as they wanted to see the realchange,” he added.
“I’m very pleased that the current administration wants to have trustworthyrelations with Pakistan,” he added.
