'PM Imran's 1st visit, meeting with Trump to help "reinvigorate" bilateral ties'

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's first meeting with US President Donald Trump on July 22 will help "renew and reinvigorate" the bilateral ties and he would highlight the importance of resolving "disputes" through dialogue and promoting peace in South Asia, the foreign office has said.

Ending the confusion, the White House and Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday announced Prime Minister Khan's maiden visit to the US at the invitation of President Trump.

The ministry said that Prime Minister Khan will visit the United States of America on July 21 to 23.

"This would be the first summit-level engagement between Pakistan and the United States since both leaders assumed their respective offices," it said.

During the visit, Prime Minister Khan and President Trump would have wide-ranging interaction at the White House on July 22 covering bilateral and regional matters.

Geo News, quoting diplomatic sources, claimed the visit had been finalised after hectic behind-the-scene efforts by the two sides through the diplomatic channels.

Trump's willingness to host Imran suggests that the two sides might have made forward movement on certain thorny issues, particularly on Afghanistan, the report quoted observers as saying.

President Trump has been critical of Pakistan's role in the fight against terrorism, especially Islamabad's role in war-ravged Afghanistan. The Trump administration has suspended security and other assistance to Pakistan, saying Islamabad in return has given only "lies and deceit."