–PM says Pakistan ‘will do everything’ to facilitate Afghan peace
–Says India’s reaction to Trump’s mediation offer surprised him
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday thanked US President Donald Trump for hosting him at the White House with “gracious hospitality” a day earlier and assured his American counterpart that Pakistan “will do everything within its power” to facilitate the process aimed at ending Afghanistan’s nearly 18-year war.
Taking to Twitter, the premier also appreciated Trump for “his understanding of Pakistan’s point of view”, “his wonderful way of putting our entire delegation at ease” and for showing him around the White House.
“I want to assure President Trump Pakistan will do everything within its power to facilitate the Afghan peace process,” he wrote, adding that the world owed it to the people of Afghanistan to bring about peace after four decades of conflict.
1. I want to thank President Trump for his warm & gracious hospitality, his understanding of Pakistan’s point of view & his wonderful way of putting our entire delegation at ease. Appreciate the President taking out time to show us the historic White House private quarters.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) July 23, 2019
Imran also said he was “surprised” by the reaction given by India to President Trump’s offer to mediate between Pakistan and India to enable dialogue for resolving the Kashmir conflict.
“Generations of Kashmiris have suffered & are suffering daily and need conflict resolution,” the prime minister stressed, noting that the Kashmir dispute has held the subcontinent hostage for 70 years.
3. Surprised by reaction of India to Pres Trump’s offer of mediation to bring Pak & India to dialogue table for resolving Kashmir conflict which has held subcontinent hostage for 70 yrs. Generations of Kashmiris have suffered & are suffering daily and need conflict resolution.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) July 23, 2019
His comment came hours after India’s foreign ministry denied Trump had been asked by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mediate the Kashmir conflict with Pakistan.
“We have seen President Trump’s remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India and Pakistan, on the Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by Prime Minister Modi to the US President,” said Raveesh Kumar, official spokesman of India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
“It has been India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally.”
While speaking to the press alongside Trump at the White House, Prime Minister Imran had said that the US, being “the most powerful” country in the world, could play the most important role in bringing peace to the subcontinent.
In response, Trump said that India had also asked him to mediate.
“I was with Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi two weeks ago. We talked about the subject and he actually said, ‘Would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator?’. I said where, he said Kashmir, because it has been going on for many, many years.
“I was surprised to know how long it has been going on. I think they would like to see it resolved, you [Pakistan] would like to see it resolved […] and if I can help, I would love to become a mediator,” said Trump.
In a separate tweet on Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran thanked the Pakistani-American community “for showing up in such large numbers” at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC to welcome him on his maiden visit to the US after assuming office.
I want to thank the Pakistani-American community for showing up in such large numbers at Capital One Arena in DC to show support and welcome me on my first visit to the USA as PM of Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/pEngooVLZ3
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) July 23, 2019
