US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Meets with Pakistani Leaders
By Munir Ahmed
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) meets US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (L) in Islamabad on Wednesday — APP
PTI chairman with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
Islamabad: US Rep Ilhan Omar met Wednesday with Pakistani leaders in the first visit by a member of Congress since a new coalition government came into power in Islamabad last week after the ouster of former premier Imran Khan.
According to a government statement, Omar met with President Arif Alvi at his office. Omar, one of only a handful of Muslim members of Congress, met with Imran Khan earlier at his residence in the capital of Islamabad.
Omar is a Somali-born Muslim-American immigrant who represents Minnesota in the US House of Representatives.
Alvi said in the statement that Pakistan values its long-standing relationship with Washington and hoped the “constructive engagements between the two countries would promote peace and development in the region." Alvi emphasized the need for further improving bilateral relations between the two countries.
The statement quoted Omar as saying that both countries had "huge potential to improve and strengthen relations." It also said Omar “appreciated the role played by Pakistan" in combating Islamophobia.
Pakistan says it was key to getting the UN General Assembly to approve a resolution setting March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. The resolution emphasizes the right to freedom of religion and belief and recalls a 1981 resolution calling for “the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion or belief.”
Omar also met with Pakistan's newly elected Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
In a statement released by Sharif's office, the prime minister said he appreciated Omar's “courage of convictions and her political struggle."
Sharif said Pakistan valued its long-standing relationship with the US and wanted to further deepen bilateral cooperation based on mutual respect, trust and equality.
Omar also visited Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, where she met with the minister of state for foreign affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar.
Pakistan has been a key ally of the United States in the war on terror since the Sept 11, 2001 attacks. But relations deteriorated last month when Khan claimed the US conspired to oust his government. Washington has denied the charge. - AP
Rep Ilhan Omar also met with recently ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on her maiden visit to the country on Wednesday.
Omar, who is one of the few Muslim members of Congress, met the recently removed prime minister at his home in Islamabad’s Bani Gala district where they discussed Islamophobia and related issues.
In a tweet shared by a member of Khan’s political party PTI, Omar was quoted as expressing her “admiration” for the political leader and for “his position on and work against Islamophobia globally.”
The tweet added that Khan also “appreciated her courageous and principled position on issues.”
Their meeting comes just weeks after the leader, who was removed from his position via a no confidence motion, alleged that Pakistan’s opposition party’s no-confidence motion against him was the result of a “foreign conspiracy” because of his independent foreign policy.
Khan had previously alleged that Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in the Department of State was involved in the “foreign conspiracy” to topple his government.
However, State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter said at a press briefing in April that “there is absolutely no truth to the allegations.”
When asked about Khan’s claims, she said, “Let me just say very bluntly there is absolutely no truth to these allegations. Of course, we continue to follow these developments, and we respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and rule of law. But again, these allegations are absolutely not true…” – The Hill
