Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday stated that a positive and constructive approach was the best option for Pakistan and the United States to move forward to improve bilateral ties.
“Broader engagement between the two countries will benefit both the countries,” he said while addressing a seminar on Pakistan-US relations. Qureshi maintained that the European Union had signed an important strategic contract with Pakistan, and the premier’s visit would help in building up confidence between the two states.
The minister expressed confidence that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s upcoming visit to the United States would help strengthen bilateral relations and improve mutual trust.
He said Pakistan-US relations had been very important in Pakistan’s foreign policy. He said there had been ups and downs in the Pakistan-US relations, but overall, the bilateral cooperation had been very useful for both the countries as well as the region on certain occasions.
Qureshi said the world’s approach toward political solution of Afghan issue was an endorsement of Pakistan’s stance on the issue. He said convergence of Pakistan and the United States on Afghanistan had rekindled hope for peace in the war-torn country.
Observers believe that the nearly 18-year conflict will be the major focus of talks between Imran Khan and Donald Trump when they meet on July 22, as Washington presses for Pakistani assistance in securing a peace deal. “Pakistan has been facilitating the US-Taliban talks in good faith, underscoring that it remains a shared responsibility,” Qureshi said. Imran Khan and Trump – both celebrities-turned-politicians – have clashed in the past, with the Pakistani premier once describing a potential meeting with the US president as a “bitter pill” to swallow.
It may be mentioned here that Prime Minister Imran Khan will embark on a three-day official visit to the United States on 21st of this month. He is visiting the US on the invitation of President Donald Trump.
According to a statement issued by Foreign Office, this would be the first summit-level engagement between Pakistan and the United States since both leaders assumed their respective offices.
During the visit, Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Trump would have wide-ranging interaction at the White House on 22nd of this month, covering bilateral and regional matters.
The prime minister will also be meeting prominent members of the US Congress, corporate leaders and opinion makers as well as members of the Pakistani diaspora.
He will highlight Pakistan’s policy of “peaceful neighbourhood” aimed at resolving disputes through dialogue and promoting the vision of peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia and beyond.
