ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to meet US President Donald Trump on the margins of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session, according to sources familiar with the development.
The prime minister is set to undertake a visit to New York to attend the UNGA next week where he will deliver the speech. On the sidelines, he is expected to meet several world leaders. But the most important meeting he is likely to have is with President Trump.
The sources said that both sides were in touch with each other and almost finalised the schedule. This would be the first meeting of any Pakistani prime minister with the US president in several years.
During the four-year term of former President Joe Biden, there was no bilateral meeting with any of the Pakistani prime ministers. In fact, Biden never spoke to any of the Pakistani leaders during his term in the White House.
The expected meeting between Trump and Shehbaz would focus on a broad range of issues, including bilateral cooperation, regional and international issues.
Since President Trump took office, Pakistan-US ties have seen a reset. In June, Trump took the unprecedented step of hosting Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir at the White House — the first time a US president has ever hosted a Pakistani army chief.
The meeting took place amid the IsraelIran war and just weeks after the Pakistan-India conflict. Islamabad publicly acknowledged President Trump’s role in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India and went on to formally nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to peace in South Asia.
While the relationship between Pakistan and the US saw an unexpected upward trajectory, Washington’s relationship with New Delhi hit a historic low. India was upset that Trump hosted the Pakistani army chief weeks of the Pahalgam attack, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad.
However, the Trump administration paid little heed to the Indian concerns, terming Pakistan an important partner. During the likely meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Trump, Pakistan would push for seeking sustained ties with the US.
The Trump administration’s move to seek deeper engagement with Pakistan stems from the changing geostrategic realities as well as keen interest in rare earth minerals. Only recently, a US company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pakistan’s Frontier Works Organization (FWO) to explore cooperation in the field of critical minerals.
The MoU was signed at the Prime Minister House in the presence of Embassy Islamabad’s Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Zach Harkenrider, who accompanied a delegation led by US Strategic Metals (USSM).
US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, speaking on the occasion, termed the MoU “another example of the strength of the US Pakistan bilateral relationship that will benefit both countries.” She added that the Trump administration has prioritised such agreements, given the importance of critical mineral resources for American security and prosperity.
The agreement comes at a time when Islamabad and Washington are seeking to recalibrate ties after years of mistrust. A key factor driving this engagement is Pakistan’s untapped mineral wealth, which the government hopes to develop with foreign investment. Analysts point out that the involvement of the FWO, an arm of the Pakistan Army, underlines the military’s central role in resource development.
The signing also follows Army Chief General Asim Munir’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in June, which many viewed as a breakthrough in reviving strategic dialogue. Both sides had agreed then to expand cooperation in trade, investment, and security, with critical minerals identified as a priority area.
Pakistan and the US relations have often been seen as transnational and primarily in the past have remained security driven. Islamabad for decades has pushed for diversifying relations with Washington beyond security and Afghanistan.
After the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, observers were not sure if Washington had any interest left in Islamabad. Those uncertainties were further heightened when Trump returned to the White House.
Experts both in Washington and Islamabad were of the opinion that under President Trump’s 2.0 administration, prospects of any reset with Pakistan were bleak. But what happened later defied all projections as the US ties with Pakistan became unexpectedly warm while Washington’s relations with New Delhi hit rock bottom.
The critical factor, many believe, is Pakistan’s carefully crafted policy that won Trump’s heart. Pakistan has managed to woo the Trump administration by offering investment in the critical mineral sector.
China currently holds sway over the critical mineral resources in terms of production and supply chain. The US is desperately looking for alternatives and keen to invest in the sector.
