On September 26, US President Donald Trump met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House to strengthen bilateral ties. This marked the first formal interaction between Trump and Sharif, echoing the previous meeting between Trump and former premier Imran Khan in July 2019.
Shehbaz Sharif visited the US to participate in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), preparing to address the General Debate from the UN podium on Friday.
During a media interaction at the White House, Trump expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “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’re coming.”
The bilateral meeting took place in the Oval Office, attended by Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who underscored the importance of collaboration between the two countries. According to a statement from the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting occurred in a “pleasant atmosphere.”
Scheduled to commence at 4:30 PM local time, the meeting began slightly late due to Trump’s prior engagements and lasted roughly one hour and twenty minutes. Photos following the meeting depicted a positive atmosphere, with Trump showcasing his signature thumbs up sign alongside Sharif and Munir.
Earlier that week, Sharif met Trump in New York during a multilateral session with leaders from several Arab nations and beyond, discussing matters of regional and global significance.
According to Radio Pakistan, the agenda included topics of mutual interest amidst current global tensions. Sharif’s arrival at the White House around 4:52 PM was met with welcome from senior administration officials, and his departure was noted at 6:18 PM.
In subsequent remarks, Trump reiterated his claims of having stopped seven wars and emphasized his role in mediating peace during heightened India-Pakistan tensions. He mentioned Pakistan’s nomination of him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, crediting his diplomatic efforts during the recent crisis.
Since publicly declaring a ceasefire agreement on May 10, Trump has frequently referenced his involvement, a point contested by India, which maintains that any such agreement resulted from direct discussions between military leaders of both countries.
The last Pakistani prime minister to visit the White House was Imran Khan in July 2019, before which Nawaz Sharif made a visit in 2015. Historical ties between Pakistan and the US during the Cold War revolved around collaborative efforts against the USSR and subsequent battles against militancy.
However, relationships cooled over issues such as the Afghan Taliban, culminating in significant tensions following the US operation that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011. Despite these challenges, both nations have reached a new trade agreement including a 19 percent tariff on Pakistani imports.
In 2024, US goods and services trade with Pakistan reached USD 10.1 billion, reflecting a 6.3 percent increase from the previous year. The total goods trade, combining exports and imports, stood at approximately USD 7.2 billion. US goods exports alone surged to USD 2.1 billion, representing a 3.3 percent rise from 2023.
US imports from Pakistan reached USD 5.1 billion, marking a 4.8 percent increase. However, the US goods trade deficit with Pakistan increased to USD 3 billion, growing by 5.9 percent compared to the previous year, indicating a complex economic relationship moving forward.
