Sharif to meet Trump in first quarter of 2017

Pakistan Prime Minister will visit the United States by March 2017 to meet the US President-elect Donald Trump, officials said.

Foreign ministry officials said Prime Minister Sharif could undertake an important visit of the US in the first quarter of the next year where a meeting with Mr Trump as President of the host country would be included in his engagements in Washington.

Sources said a proposal regarding Mr Sharif’s participation in the oathtaking ceremony of the new US president is also on the cards but nothing has been finalised so far.

Officials said Pakistan had decided to maintain its ties with the US on the cardinal principle of mutual respect while addressing each other’s concerns in a dignified manner once the Trump administration is at the helm of affairs in Washington.

The standpoint of Pakistan in this regard would be conveyed to think-tanks in the United States this week when Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi would be in the US capital. He will also have an extensive interaction with the stalwarts likely be part of the new team in various departments, particularly in the State Department.

Mr Fatemi, who served in Washington for a long period of time in various capacities including his posting as ambassador, had held a meeting with Mr Sharif the other day to seek his guidance for the mission on which he embarked on Sunday.

The dash of Mr Fatemi who in his own right an astute diplomat has attained significance in the backdrop of maiden communication between Mr Sharif and Mr Trump last week where the latter expressed goodwill for Pakistan and its people.

Fatemi would also highlight the “Indian atrocities” in Kashmir and “ceasefire violations” by Indian security forces on Line of Control and Working Boundary, sources said.

He would stay in Washington for 10 days and meet the Trump team as well and discuss ways to strengthen the bilateral ties between Pakistan and US.

Speculation about the visit comes after telephonic conversation between Sharif and Trump last week.

Sources said Special Assistant to Sharif on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi is leaving for the US to finalise the schedule of the visit.