US president, Pakistan premier to meet July 22

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit the U.S. from July 21 to 23, the country’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

He is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on July 22 at the White House, Mohammad Faisal said during a weekly media briefing in capital Islamabad.

This will be Khan's maiden visit to the U.S after his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party formed the government in July 2018 general elections.

"The focus [of talks] will be on further improving the ties between the two countries," Faisal said.

The development came days after Washington designated Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) -- a Baloch separatist group -- a terrorist group, a longtime demand by Islamabad.

Political analysts reckon that the ongoing reconciliation process in Afghanistan will top the agenda of the one-on-one meeting between the two leaders, apart from improving counter-terrorism cooperation and trade.