Trump reiterates Pakistan, India mediation offer in meeting with PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is on a week-long visit to the US, met with President Donald Trump on Monday.

In a joint question and answer session today,  US President Trump reiterated the offer to mediate between Pakistan and India. 

The two leaders about the ongoing situation in the Indian-occupied Kashmir, with PM Imran telling Trump that he felt that it was "the beginning of a crisis".

Addressing the US president and the reporters, he said: "Trump heads the most powerful country in the world. And the most powerful country in the world has a responsibility.

"I honestly feel that this crisis could become much bigger. We look to the US to put out flames in the world," the PM said.

Trump, on the other hand, noted that "many countries wanted to meet with me and we were unable to meet with them". He added: "I will tell you this: You have a great leader. He's a good man, a nice man. Happens to be a great athlete."

The US president expressed hope that India and Pakistan will come together and resolve issues. 

The meeting came a day after Donald Trump attended a rally organised by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi amid massive anti-India protests in the city of Houston.

This is be the second meeting between the two leaders since July, where the US president offered to mediate on Kashmir dispute. Trump also held telephone talks with the leaders of Pakistan and India in August amid lockdown in IoK.

Today, the prime minister also meet with his British counterpart Boris Johnson over  breakfast, and later Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the PM.

Other important engagements of PM Imran include meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Swiss President Ueli Maurer, World Bank President David Malpass and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

The prime minister addressed the Council of Foreign Relations earlier today.

The premier is also scheduled to speak at the United Nations Climate Action Summit 2019 in New York.