U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar meets with Pakistani leaders

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar has met with Pakistani leaders in the first visit by a member of Congress since a new coalition government came into power in Islamabad last week after the ouster of former premier Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD -- U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar met Wednesday with Pakistani leaders in the first visit by a member of Congress since a new coalition government came into power in Islamabad last week after the ouster of former premier Imran Khan.

According to a government statement, Omar met with President Arif Alvi at his office. Omar, one of only a handful of Muslim members of Congress, met with Khan earlier at his residence in the capital of Islamabad.

Omar is a Somali-born Muslim-American immigrant who represents Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Alvi said in the statement that Pakistan values its long-standing relationship with Washington and hoped the “constructive engagements between the two countries would promote peace and development in the region." Alvi emphasized the need for further improving bilateral relations between the two countries.