Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday left for his maiden trip to the U.S. to have face-to-face talks with President Donald Trump and reboot bilateral relations.
Mr. Khan is undertaking the three-day trip on the invitation of Mr. Trump, and is to be joined by Army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and ISI chief Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed.
Diplomatic sources said that issues like the Afghan peace process, Pakistan government’s action against terrorism and terror financing and restoration of military aid to Pakistan would be the highlights of the trip.
Mr. Khan is also expected to brief President Trump about the steps he has taken to normalise relations with India, especially after the Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir.
Doctor’s release sought
Meanwhile, a senior Trump administration official said on Friday that Mr. Trump will seek the release of jailed Pakistani doctor Shakil Afridi during his meeting with Mr. Khan. Dr. Afridi had helped the CIA track down Osama bin Laden.
“This is an extremely important issue to the President and the American people. I think Pakistan could demonstrate its leadership role in the region and among the international community by freeing Dr. Afridi who remains unjustly imprisoned in Pakistan,” the official told reporters on Friday.
In an interview to Voice of America, the lawyer and family members of Dr. Afridi, expressed hope that Mr. Trump and Mr. Khan would discuss his release.
The U.S. has been repeatedly requesting Pakistan to free Dr. Afridi, said the senior administration official.