The White House has officially rejected reports claiming that US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Pakistan, saying, ‘A trip to Pakistan is not scheduled at this time,’ the White House official said Thursday.
Previously, Reuters reported and quoted local news channels that Donald Trump is expected to visit Pakistan in September. The two local news channels said Trump would also visit India after arriving at Islamabad in September.
The Foreign Office spokesman said he was not aware of Trump’s expected visit. An American embassy spokesman in Islamabad told Reuters, “We have nothing to advertise,” and said the White House could possibly affirm the president’s schedule. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information did not respond to a Reuters request for a comment.
According to Anadolu, Pakistani diplomatic sources also refused media reports that US President Donald Trump was expected to visit the South Asian nation on September 18.
Sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the news circulating for Trump’s journey were “false” when the US president visits Britain between September 17 and 19.
“We have no information about such a visit. If there is anything, the Foreign Ministry will officially announce that” an official of the Senior Ministry told Anadolu on the condition of anonymity.
Read more: Trump calls meeting Coas Munir an honor at lunch in the White House
Local news channel referring to named ministry officials reported that Trump was expected to visit Pakistan on September 18. An international news agency and several media reported the news, quoting the TV station.
However, the news channel later withdrew the report and apologized for running an “unconfirmed” story. According to a previous timetable, the US president is scheduled to visit Britain between September 17 and 19.
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The relationship between the Pakistani government and the Trump administration has been strengthened in recent months after the latter active intervention to mediate a ceasefire between long-time rivals India and Pakistan following a four-day conflict in May.
The escalation between Pakistan and India began on April 22 when an attack in Pahagam killed 26 people. India immediately accused Pakistan of the incident. However, Pakistan categorically rejected the Indian guilt.
In response, India launched missile attacks that hit six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroyed a mosque and kill dozens of civilians, including women, children and the elderly.
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In a rapid military reaction, Pakistan’s armed forces shot Indian war plane, including three Rafale jet aircraft. The confrontation intensified again in the early hours of May 10 when India targeted several Pakistani Airbases with missile attacks. In contrast, Pakistan Operation launched Bunyanum Marsoos, which damaged Indian military installations, including missile storage sites, airbases and other strategic goals.
Last month, Trump also hosted Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir in the White House in an unprecedented diplomatic development.
Donald Trump said it was an honor to meet the Chief of Army Staff (Coas) Field Marshal Asim Munir during a lunch held in the White House.
In a speech with the media after the event, Trump expanded his gratitude to Pakistan’s military boss to visit and recognized the role of the army in helping to avert additional military escalation with India.
“It’s an honor for me to meet Asim Munir,” Trump said. “I invited him to thank him for not going to war. He deserves appreciation to help secure the ceasefire.”
“Pakistan and India are both nuclear forces,” the US president said. “We are in conversations with Pakistan about a trade agreement. Management of both nations is really remarkable.”
