PM Imran to address Pakistani diaspora at Washington stadium today

Capital One Arena can hold over 20,000 people with a majority of the tickets already sold out

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan, who left for the US earlier in the day for a three-day official visit, is set to address a "record-setting" gathering of the Pakistani diaspora in Washington on Sunday.

The Capital One Arena can house more than 20,000 people with a lion's share of the tickets for the event already having been sold out.



The prime minister's community address is distinctive as in the past visiting Pakistani leaders would address Pakistani expatriates in community halls or closed door rooms in hotels.

His address will start at 4pm (EST), July 21.

Around one million Pakistani-Americans reside in the the country, which has also been a major source of remittances for Pakistan.

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Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi visited the stadium to review arrangements for the event.

"Visited Capital One Arena to oversee arrangements for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address," he tweeted. "Every Pakistani in the United States is looking forward to Khan Sahab’s maiden visit as Prime Minister. This is a moment they have long waited for."

Visited Capital One Arena to oversee arrangements for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address. Every Pakistani in the United States is looking forward to Khan Sahab’s maiden visit as Prime Minister. This is a moment they have long waited for. #PMIKVisitingUS pic.twitter.com/Au2cNTd8rB

— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) July 20, 2019

Expressing satisfaction over the arrangements, the minister said the welfare of expatriate Pakistanis was a top priority of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. Owing to this, he added, the prime minister included this event in his itinerary.