ISLAMABAD – In a first test of PM Imran Khan foreign Policy, the top UnitedStates diplomat is arriving in Pakistan on a key visit.

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo is likely to visit Islamabad in thefirst week of September.

Pompeo will hold consultations with Prime Minister Imran Khan and his teamon issues of mutual interests.

Pompeo, who is expected in Islamabad on Sept 5, will likely be the firstforeign dignitary to meet the newly elected prime minister, who took oathof his office on Saturday.

During his talks with Pakistani officials, Secretary Pompeo may focus ontwo major issues: efforts to revive once close ties between the two statesand Pakistan’s support for a US-led move to jump-starting the Afghan peaceprocess, the sources said.

Alice Wells, who heads the Bureau for South Asian affairs at the StateDepartment, 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 discouragedthem from negotiating peace with some Taliban factions.

“What we’re seeing here is, there are some factions, some elements of theTaliban that clearly are not on board with peace. Others do want to havepeace negotiations and peace discussions,” said State DepartmentSpokesperson Heather Nauert while commenting on this week’s terroristattacks in Kabul that killed almost 50 people.

On Tuesday, a senior US official reminded Pakistan that now was the time topeacefully end the 17-year old war in Afghanistan and encouraged Islamabadto play a leading role in this process.