Imran Khan’s ‘Trump card’, says Pak has not been represented properly in US

PTI, Jul 24, 2019, 9:23 AM IST

Washington: His country’s viewpoint has not been represented properly in the US and it has not reached the politicians, Congressmen and senators, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday.

Khan, who went to the Capitol on Tuesday to meet top American lawmakers, said it was time to reset the relationship between the two countries, based on trust and mutual respect.

“I feel that it is time to have a different sort of relationship with the US and reset a relationship based on mutual respect, trust, and above all, it is in the interest of the US and the rest of the world that the longest war ever, which is Afghanistan, almost 19 years and still going on, ends in a peaceful way within a political settlement,” the Pakistani prime minister said.

“We in Pakistan will be trying our best to make sure that there is a political settlement there,” he said and thanked Pelosi for giving him a chance to make her understand the “Pakistani point of view”. Pelosi welcomed Khan and discussed the issues of counterterrorism, regional security and the peace process in Afghanistan with him.

Observing that the US valued its critical relationship and partnership with Pakistan, she sought augmentation of their counterterrorism measures, security cooperation and increasing security and regional stability. Pelosi also appreciated Pakistan’s reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan.

Later, Khan attended a reception hosted by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, chairperson of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus. The reception was attended by a large number of US lawmakers, including Pelosi.