Imran Khan calls for trust in Pak-US ties

The relations between Pakistan and the United States nosedived this January after President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to Washington but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists.

The US Congress also passed a bill to slash Pakistan's defence aid to USD 150 million, significantly below the historic level of more than USD one billion per year.

Khan, set to be sworn-in as Pakistan's new prime minister next week, made the remarks when US Ambassador John Hoover called on him at his residence, the Express Tribune reported.

Hoover congratulated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief on his party's victory in the July 25 general elections and discussed the relations between the two countries, it said.

Khan stressed that strengthening the bilateral relations based on trust was the need of the hour, the report said.

In his victory speech last month, Khan had said that Pakistan wants to have a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States.

But he noted that up now, that has been "one-way, the US thinks it gives us aid to fight their war ... we want both countries to benefit, we want a balanced relationship," he had said.

Khan has been a vocal critic of US drone attacks inside Pakistan against terrorists.