Trump ends isolation of country once snubbed so badly Imran Khan had to take the subway to the UN general assembly
After years in the diplomatic deep freeze, US-Pakistan ties appear to be quickly thawing, with Donald Trump’s effusive welcome for Pakistan’s army chief, Gen Asim Munir, signalling a possible major reset.
Once snubbed so badly that Imran Khan, a former prime minister, rode the New York subway to the UN general assembly in 2019 unescorted, Pakistan is now enjoying top-level access in Washington, including a White House lunch for Munir on Wednesday and meetings with top national security officials.
Trump’s perceived friendliness with Munir, coupled with what India considers to be a glossing over of Pakistan’s record on terrorism, has raised Indian eyebrows, especially amid sensitive trade negotiations with the US.
In a phone call with Trump on Tuesday, the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, strongly rejected the US president’s repeated claims that he personally brokered peace in the four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in May.
