Imran likely to visit US this year: Trump aide.

Byline: NOKHAIZ SAHI

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to visit United States this year as the relations between the allies in war against terror are once against moving towards 'stability' with Pakistan helping the US to find a negotiated settlement of Afghanistan.

'Ice has been broken; we are gradually moving towards the stable relations,' senior Republican and a close aide to US president, Sajid Tarar said during an exclusive discussion with The Nation.

Tarar discussed the highs and lows of relations between the two countries and said that their relations could not stabilise after former al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces in 2011.

Already-tense relations between the United States and Pakistan took a nosedive when Trump accused the country of deceiving Washington in the global campaign against terror. Trump justified his decision to cut aid to Pakistan, telling Fox News that Pakistan 'don't do a damn thing' for the US and blaming Islamabad for allegedly sheltering former al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

'Previous governments (in Pakistan) could not focus on foreign policy. They had no advocacy plans, no diplomacy. But things have now started improving now,' Tarar said.

The United States administration is looking forward to Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit.

'To plan about Prime Minister Imran Khan's trip is part of my agenda. Khan will come to US before 2020 and would have a wonderful reception. The administration is looking forward to see Khan in the US. Not only the US, the west is expecting positive results as they wanted to see the real change,' he added.

'I'm very pleased that the current administration wants to have trustworthy relations with Pakistan,' he added.

Tarar admitted that it was very hard to convince congressmen and senators about Pakistan but regime change and Imran Khan at the helm of affairs made my case 'little better'.

Tarar said that Trump had made it clear that the US will pull out from Afghanistan and Syria before 2020. This decision actually provided a window (of opportunity) to Pakistan to bring the Taliban on negotiating table.

'I have been asking Pakistan establishment, I have been advising them to capture this opportunity... am glad they (are) doing it', he added.

In December, Pakistan helped in dialogue between Taliban and the US in Abu Dhabi. Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan will be doing everything within its power to further the peace process.

Efforts to bring...