US President-elect Donald Trump has expressed the hope that bilateral ties between the United States and Pakistan will improve in the future, Radio Pakistan quoted Pakistan's Ambassador to US Jalil Abbas Jilani as saying on Friday.

The envoy said Trump told him he wanted to see better US-Pakistan relations in the future at a dinner he [Trump] hosted for foreign ambassadors.

Trump, who takes oath on Friday as the 45th US president, "pleasantly" referred to the phone call Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made to him in November last year, said Jilani.

He also extended good wishes for Pakistan during his conversation with the ambassador.

The Sharif-Trump telephone call became controversial when the prime minister’s office released a readout of that call.

In a language considered "unusual" for a US president, Trump had in his conversation with the PM expressed willingness to solve "fantastic" Pakistan's problems. Calling Sharif a "terrific guy", Trump had also said he would "love" to visit Pakistan.

Read: Trump expresses willingness to solve 'fantastic' Pakistan's problems

The surprisingly candid readout of the telephone call created a major controversy in Washington where even the White House joined the call for Trump to be more careful while talking to foreign leaders. The US media also criticised Pakistan for releasing details of personal greetings.

Later, the Trump transition team had issued its own version of the telephone call, saying that Sharif and Trump did have a ‘productive conversation’, but it lacked the “flowery language” included in the Pakistani version of this talk.

Opinion

Editorial

Business concerns
Updated 26 Apr, 2024

Business concerns

There is no doubt that these issues are impeding a positive business clime, which is required to boost private investment and economic growth.
Musical chairs
26 Apr, 2024

Musical chairs

THE petitioners are quite helpless. Yet again, they are being expected to wait while the bench supposed to hear...
Global arms race
26 Apr, 2024

Global arms race

THE figure is staggering. According to the annual report of Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace...
Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...