Pakistan eyeing first Imran-Trump meeting in September

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to meet US President Donald Trump for the first time to discuss "important regional matters", according to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Quoting official sources, The Express Tribune reported on Friday that the meeting between the two leaders could take place in September when Imran will travel to US for the annual session of the UN General Assembly.

Relations between Pakistan and the US have remained tense during the Trump's tenure. The US president has publically said that Pakistan has given us "nothing but lies and deceit" and also suspended security and other assistance for backing terror groups.

The US has repeatedly asked Pakistan to end its support to the militant organisations operating from within its territory against India and Afghanistan.

Qureshi told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday that President Trump had extended an invitation to Premier Khan. However, the prime minister could not travel to Washington because of the budget session, the report said.

He said that dates for the expected meeting are being worked out by the two sides.

According to Qureshi, the US president expressed his desire to meet the premier to discuss "important regional matters".

Efforts for arranging the Imran-Trump meeting have been going on for months, the report said.

Some officials linked the two leaders' summit with possible positive outcome of the ongoing efforts seeking peace deal in Afghanistan.

Though the bilateral ties have been hit, the US president has expressed his desire to work with the Imran-led government.