Prime Minister Imran Khan has said Pakistan had always close ties with the United States and expressed the hope to get back to the relationship, which was based on truth and trust as well as mutual respect.
Speaking to the US Congressmen at the Capitol Hill, the Prime Minister said the whole idea of his coming there was to make the people in the United States have a better understanding of Pakistan. He said unfortunately, he felt that Pakistan was not understood there, specifically in the last 15 year when the war on terror was being fought in Afghanistan and on the border of Pakistan.
More than 70,000 Pakistani people died and our economy suffered billions of dollars loss in the war against terror. The Prime Minister said Pakistan was fighting the US war of terror as Pakistan had nothing to do with the 9/11, Al Qaida was in Afghanistan and there were no militant Taliban in Pakistan. He said it was very important that he met President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and explained to them the way forward that the relationship has to be based on mutual trust.
He said Pakistan is trying its level best to bring Taliban to the negotiation table and significant achievement has been made so far in this regard. He,however said it was not an easy task.
He said the entire country including army and security forces are on same page for a common objective of peaceful solution to the Afghan conflict.
Earlier, US Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi, other congressmen and Co-Chair of Pakistan-US Caucus welcomed and warmly received the prime minister at the Capitol Hill. They appreciated the role Pakistan was playing especially in the Afghan peace process. Prime Minister Imran Khan had made history by proposing a solution to the lingering Afghan issue. They admitted Pakistan had suffered a lot in the war against terror and militancy.
They said US would cooperate with Pakistan in education and energy renewable sectors.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi also saluted the endeavors of Prime Minister Imran Khan for maintaining peace in the region.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while addressing the ceremony, said the role of congress is vital to further fortify the ties between Pakistan and U.S.
