Pakistan building a new island
US President Donald Trump welcomed Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the White House on Thursday. The meeting is a significant step toward improving relations between the two countries. Sharif is in the United States for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and is scheduled to address the General Debate on Friday.
The visit comes amid months of gradual rapprochement after years of strained ties between the two countries.
Earlier in the day, Trump signed several executive orders, including a 100% tariff on pharmaceuticals, and spoke to reporters while awaiting the Pakistani delegation.
“In fact, we have a great leader coming, the prime minister of Pakistan coming, and the field marshal of Pakistan. Field marshal is a very great guy, and so is the prime minister, both. And they are coming, and they may be in this room right now, I don’t know, because we are late, and I said maybe they would like to join. They actually may be somewhere in the beautiful Oval Office,” news agency PTI quoted Trump as saying.
Trump also repeated his claim that he has “stopped seven wars,” without elaborating.
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Sharif was accompanied by Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, widely regarded as the country’s most influential figure.
Munir had previously been hosted for a private White House lunch earlier this summer. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Thursday’s meeting as well.
The Pakistani prime minister arrived at the White House around 4:52 p.m. and departed at approximately 6:18 p.m., according to the White House press pool.
This meeting followed a brief encounter on Tuesday in New York, where Trump and Sharif participated in a multilateral session alongside leaders from Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and other Arab nations.
Relations between Washington and Islamabad have thawed in recent months after a period of deep tension. The United States halted military aid to Pakistan in 2018 after its withdrawal from Afghanistan and expressed frustration over Pakistan’s stance on drone strikes and its closer ties with India.
Under the Biden administration, high-level dialogue between the two nations was virtually nonexistent. Former Pakistani ambassador to the U.S. Maleeha Lodhi told Bloomberg from Islamabad that the latest visit “reflects Washington’s significantly changed attitude towards Pakistan.” She added, “With Trump, a reset of ties is underway, as he seems to acknowledge Pakistan’s geostrategic importance in the region as well as in the Middle East.”
Pakistan’s military remains a central force in the country’s governance, shaping foreign policy, domestic politics, and economic decisions. Munir’s presence underlined the army’s pivotal role in Islamabad’s dealings with Washington.
Pakistani leaders have publicly praised Trump for what they describe as his role in mediating a ceasefire during the country’s conflict with India in May – claims that New Delhi has denied. Islamabad even announced its intention to nominate Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Alongside political discussions, economic ties were a major focus. Both countries are negotiating a trade agreement that would include U.S. investment in Pakistan. Islamabad has already secured a 19 percent tariff rate on its exports to the United States, significantly lower than India’s 50 percent levy and below most South Asian competitors.
When announcing the deal in July, Trump highlighted plans to collaborate with Pakistan on developing what he described as the nation’s “massive oil reserves,” adding that Washington was selecting an American company to spearhead the project.
Sharif previously met Trump during the multilateral gathering on Tuesday hosted by the U.S. president and the Emir of Qatar on the sidelines of the UNGA. In 2022, during the UN’s annual summit, Sharif met former President Joe Biden.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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