Imran Khan to leave for first crucial US visit after becoming PM in September.
- The incoming prime minister will attend UNGA session set to be held next month
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, who is set to become prime minister, will be visiting the United States for first time as country’s premier in next month after taking the oath.
The incoming PM will attend 73rd United Nations General Assembly session in New York going to be held in the second week of September. He will also address the UNGA session to highlight Pakistan’s stance major issues, including grave human rights violations and Indian atrocities in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir, local media reported.
The annual session of the General Assembly has special significance as it is attended by a large number of Heads of States and governments. The Pakistani premier will also give policy statement during the session.
On the sidelines of the UNGA, the Prime Minister would hold meetings with the members of the US administration where he will highlight the ideology of new Pakistan, a famous slogan of the PTI during election campaign.
Khan is also expected to hold talks with US officials on various matters, including economic ties, Pakistan’s name on FATF’s grey list, war against terrorism, etc.
During his visit, the new prime minister is expected to hold meetings with heads of different countries, including China, Afghanistan, Iran and others.
Foreign Policy and Khan’s Victory Speech
During his victory speech on Julu 26, Imran Khan highlights key features of his government’s foreign policy.
“We want to learn from China how they brought 700 million people out of poverty … The other thing we can learn from China is … the measures they have taken against corruption, how they have arrested more than 400 ministers there.
Then there is Afghanistan, a country that has suffered the most in the war on terror. Afghanistan’s people need peace. We want peace there. If there is peace in Afghanistan, there will be peace in Pakistan. We will make every effort to achieve peace there.
We want to have open borders with Afghanistan one day.
With the US, we want to have a mutually beneficial relationship … up until now, that has been one way, the US thinks it gives us aid to fight their war … we want both countries to benefit, we want a balanced relationship.
We want to improve ties with Iran. Saudi Arabia is a friend who has always stood by us in difficult times. Our aim will be that whatever we can do for conciliation in the Middle East, we want to play that role. Those tensions, that fight, between neighbours, we will try to bring them together.
On India: I think it will be very good for all of us if we have good relations with India. We need to have trade ties, and the more we will trade, both countries will benefit. The unfortunate truth is that Kashmir is a core issue, and the situation in Kashmir, and what the people of Kashmir have seen in the last 30 years …. they have really suffered”.
