BIG snub to Pakistan: Donald Trump not visiting Islamabad, last US president to visit was...

In what may be called a big embarrassment for Pakistan, the White House has rejected the media reports that President Donald Trump would visit the South Asian country in September. It said in the most unequivocal terms that no such plans exist at all. A White House spokesperson told the ANI, "A trip to Pakistan has not been scheduled at this time." The controversy erupted after some reputed news channels in Pakistan had reported that the US President would visit the country in September. It was seen as a major boost in the US-Pakistan relations after Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir was invited for a luncheon meeting with the US president in the White House. Contrary to reports in Pakistani media, the White House has neither announced nor confirmed any such plan. 

Pakistan MEA: No information

Pakistani media outlet the 'Dawn' has reported that Foreign Office Spokes­person Shafqat Ali Khan had said, "We have no information about this matter." Besides, a US embassy spokesperson in Islamabad told Reuters, "We have nothing to announce", and said that the White House might be able to confirm the president’s schedule." In a separate announcement, Buckin­gham Palace has said that President Tru­mp and First Lady Melania Trump would visit the UK on a state trip from Sept 17 to 19. It is also clear that a stopover in Islamabad is highly unlikely.

When did US President visit Pakistan last?

George W Bush was the last US President to visit Pakistan in 2006, in the wake of the massive 2005 earthquake that devastated parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab. No US president has visited Islamabad since then. However, Besides George Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, have visited India in the last ten years. 

Is Pakistan so much important for US now?

With the changed geopolitical dynamics, Pakistan is not as important for Washington as it was when it supported the anti-Soviet forces in Afghanistan. It has moved closer to China, the chief adversary to the US. However, when Donald Trump hosted Asim Munir in the White House, it was believed in Pakistan that the old days were returning and the Muslim country would once again become strategically significant for the US. It is believed that Trump hosted Munir to seek his support in clashes against Iran so that the US Air Force could use Pakistan's air space in attacking targets in the Shiite country.