Actions do speak louder than words. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to the United States of America is a testament to this fact. When Pakistani Americans filled the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C to listen to Imran Khan, it was a feat never before achieved by any Pakistani head-of-state visiting the US. Cladded in white shalwar qameez and a black waist coat, Imran Khan became the first Pakistani prime minister to address a massive crowd of the Pakistani community in the US capital. During his speech at the arena, Imran Khan focused on two key points – merit and accountability. “A society that doesn’t have merit, doesn’t go forward,” he said. He further said, “Today, what you see happening in Pakistan is what Naya Pakistan was about: these people had never been asked for answers before.” Imran Khan also presented the example of Pakistan cricket team’s demise by saying, “I have played cricket all around the world. I have seen the most cricketing talent in Pakistan. But [because] there is no system of merit, we can’t bring that talent up…This is why we are not dominating the world [in cricket] – because there is no meritocracy.” While the Pakistani Americans in the US and Washington were ecstatic to see Imran Khan, the Pakistanis here at home were anticipating his meeting with Donald Trump. What transpired during the meeting was unprecedented in a positive way. Imran Khan’s body language – assertive and emphatic – when meeting with the US President, Donald Trump, was a moment Pakistanis were waiting for a long time. Previously, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister was seen sitting next to the then US President, Barack Obama, in the Oval Office with a slumped posture and going through his notes to move the conversation forward. Imran Khan, on the other hand, was speaking like a leader should – without notes and with confidence. Donald Trump did acknowledge Pakistan’s efforts and sacrifices made in Afghanistan. “Pakistan is helping us a lot now on Afghanistan” were President Trump’s remarks. The US President while answering to a question regarding his disapproving views about Pakistan said, “I don’t think Pakistan respected the United States [in the past]. I don’t think Pakistan respected its [the United States’] presidents…I think they could have help us a lot in the past, but it doesn’t matter [now]. We have a new leader, he is going be a great leader of Pakistan…We were paying $1.3 billion as aid for many years but the problem was that Pakistan – it was before you [PM Imran] – was not doing anything for us. They were really, I think, subversive…To be honest, we have a better relationship with Pakistan right now than we did when we were paying that money…It [Pakistan] is a great country, they are very great people.’ With Imran Khan’s visit to the US, Islamabad and Washington may be fulfilling renewed diplomatic agendas which will affect Pakistan-India relations. President Trump has also shown a positive stance on Afghanistan However, a controversy brewed after President Trump told Imran Khan that the US will mediate in the Kashmir issue, as the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to do so. The Indian foreign ministry right away denied making such claims. It is yet to be seen how India will react under this context and with Pakistan-US ties now expected to become strong. India has always eyed itself remaining in hegemony in South Asia and has tried to fortify its diplomatic and trade ties with the US to overshadow Pakistan. With Imran Khan’s visit to the US, Islamabad and Washington may be fulfilling renewed diplomatic agendas which will affect Pakistan-India relations. President Trump has also shown a positive stance on Afghanistan. According to the US President, Imran Khan can help Washington and Afghanistan bring a settlement to the US war in Afghanistan that is now entering in its 18th year. “We hope that in the coming days we will be able to urge the Taliban to speak to the Afghan government and come to a settlement, a political solution.” It seems that a settlement may materialize soon. This will perhaps be a win-win situation for both Pakistan and the US. While the US has spent billions of dollars on its mission in the US, on the other hand, Pakistan has paid a huge price when facing the Afghan spill over effect from its border and also in its fight against terrorism. The writer is an independent researcher, author and columnist