Pak PM Imran visits army HQ for security 'briefing'

Islamabad: Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday paid his first visit to the army headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi where he was briefed on the security issues.

Khan, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), won the July 25 general election amidst the perception that the Pakistan Army, a major player in Pakistan's politics, has thrown its weight behind his party.

The prime minister was accompanied by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Foreign Affairs Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar among others.

Khan was received by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters, Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said.

"Prime Minister (is) being briefed on defence, internal security and other professional matters," he said.

On Monday, General Bajwa had the first formal meeting with Prime Minister Khan, who was sworn-in as the 22nd premier of Pakistan on August 18, and discussed the security situation in the country as well as the efforts to ensure long-lasting peace and stability in the region. Bajwa had congratulated Khan on assuming the top ministerial job during their meeting. The powerful military has ruled coup-prone Pakistan for nearly half of the country's history since independence in 1947.

Khan and Bajwa had held their first meeting in 2017 when the cricketer-turned-politician congratulated the latter over his promotion and appointment as army chief.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration wants to give new Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan space to explore opportunities to improve relations with India, a senior Pentagon official has said.

Many new governments come to power in Islamabad and want to improve the relationship with India, but then soon face realities and all the difficulties, Randall G Schriver, US Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs said at an event organised by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace here.

"We want to give the new prime minister of the new government of Pakistan space to explore where there may be opportunities to improve relations with India," he said.

He was responding to a question from moderator Ashley Tellis from Carnegie on the triangular relationship between India, the US and

Pakistan.