FM Bilawal Bhutto’s maiden US visit expected this month

• FM Bilawal Bhutto likely to visit US later this month.
• Bilawal to meet Blinken and other US officials during the visit.
• Blinken has invited Pakistani FM to attend a ministerial meeting on food security.

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is expected to pay a visit to the United States by the mid of this month, The News reported Monday.

Diplomatic sources said that it would be Bilawal's first official visit as the foreign minister of Pakistan on the invitation of  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

During the trip, FM Bilawal would meet Blinken and other US officials, while Minister of State on Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar may accompany the foreign minister as a part of his delegation.

Bilawal has been invited to participate in the “Global Food Security” meeting on May 18.

Blinken on Friday made a maiden telephone call to the newly appointed FM and extended an invitation to him to visit the US this month, the Foreign Office said.

During the telephonic conversation, Secretary Blinken congratulated his Pakistani counterpart on the assumption of his office and expressed the desire to continue strengthening the mutually beneficial Pakistan-US bilateral relationship.

Bilawal's US visit would be the first high-level interaction between the two countries amid the PTI's anti-American narrative. Former prime minister Imran Khan has blamed Washington for toppling his government. The US has denied the allegations.