Washington (TDI): The White House on Thursday quashed rumors that US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Pakistan later this year, calling the reports inaccurate.
“A trip to Pakistan has not been scheduled at this time,” a White House official clarified, following a wave of local media stories claiming Trump would arrive in Islamabad in September.
Two Pakistani television channels had cited unnamed sources suggesting the US president would not only visit Pakistan but would also make a stop in India around the same time. However, the US side moved quickly to dismiss the speculation.
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Pakistan’s Foreign Office said it had no information about any such visit.
The news comes just weeks after Trump hosted Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House, an unusual move that many interpreted as a sign of warming ties between Washington and Islamabad.
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Despite that meeting, there appears to be no immediate plan for Trump to travel to South Asia.
Meanwhile, India is gearing up to host the upcoming summit of the Quad, a strategic alliance involving the US, India, Japan, and Australia.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
