The White House says, the outgoing United States President Barack Obama, who had expressed his desire to visit Pakistan Obama at the beginning of his term, but could not do so because of a "complicated relationship" with the nation.

The White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, said that, "At one point in his presidency, I do recall President Barack Obama expressing a desire to travel to Pakistan. For a variety of reasons, some of them relating to the complicated relationship between our two countries at certain times over the last eight years, President Obama was not able to realize that ambition."

The White House Secretary was responding to a question, that, "One thing we do know is that, it sends a powerful message to the people of a country when the President of the US goes to visit. That's true whether it's some of our closest allies, or that's also true if it's a country like Pakistan, with whom our relationship is somewhat more complicated."

"But ultimately, when President-elect Trump begins planning his overseas travel, he'll have a range of places to consider, and Pakistan would certainly be one of them," Earnest said.

"Obviously, President Obama's conversations with his counterpart in Pakistan have been an important priority. The United States relationship with Pakistan is one that's quite complicated, particularly when you consider our overlapping national security interests," he said.

"The relations between our duo countries, particularly over the last eight years, have not been consistently smooth, particularly in the aftermath of the raid on Pakistani soil that President Obama ordered to take Osama bin Laden off the battlefield," Earnest added.

"President Obama benefited enormously from the advice and expertise that's been shared by those who serve at the State Department. And I'm confident that as President-elect Trump takes office, those same State Department employees will stand ready to offer him advice as he conducts the business of the US overseas. Hopefully he'll take it," he added.

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Nandini