Islamabad:
Many world leaders who have visited the White House since US President Donald Trump began his second period in January, have not been received hot. The excited sight of Trump’s exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelenskyy remained fresh in public memory.
Based on this, there was a great curiosity about what awaited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Field Marshal during their September 25 -Visit in the White House. Observers speculated on the reception of Pakistan’s civil and military leadership would receive.
Trump, known for transforming each meeting into a public performance, surprised many by keeping the commitment strictly behind closed doors. The usual Oval Office Press performance before formal conversations were conspicuously absent. Instead, the White House released only a short video clip and a few still images, but tells glimpses of what happened.
Judging from the visual and the official reading, the meeting seemed heartily and constructively, a striking departure from Trump’s fighting style.
The meeting also marked a significant reversal in the US -Pakistan relationship. Before Trump’s return to the office, most experts had predicted gloomy prospects for bilateral ties under Trump 2.0. However, these assumptions have been created. When Prime Minister Shehbaz, accompanied by Field Marshal, met Trump in Washington, it signaled an important step towards resetting strained ties.
According to sources, Pakistan has managed to separate the political space for himself and convince Trump administration of its continued relevance in regional affairs. Unlike earlier, Islamabad does not ask for security assistance or financial support. Instead, emphasis is placed on utilizing his relationship with Washington to political advantage at a time of changing global adjustments.
Officials who know the engagement explained that critics can judge the result of the reset in purely material terms, such as aid packages, trade dreams or military hardware. However, the real goals emphasize they are political. “If Pakistan wasn’t on the right side of Trump, it could have turned out to be a major disadvantage,” noted a source.
The meeting took place on the basis of changing dynamics in South Asia. Washington’s once hot embrace of New Delhi has cooled in recent months, especially due to trade spells and divergent strategic priorities.
Meanwhile, Trump’s administration continues to push on a hard line of immigration and foreign policy, making it important for countries such as Pakistan to secure direct communication channels at the highest level.
Analysts believe that Pakistan’s leadership is trying to position themselves as a relevant player in Washington’s evolving calculation on Afghanistan, terrorism and regional stability. Field Marshal’s presence at the negotiations was seen as a clear signal that Pakistan’s civil and military leadership is in line with this approach.
While it is still seen how this political reset will translate into concrete results, officials insist that the commitment has already helped Pakistan avoid strategic insulation. “The yield may not be immediate,” said a source, “but keeping the United States engaged is in itself a big victory.”
Another source added that Pakistan has so far successfully managed to place himself as a relevant player in global politics. The Saudi Pakistani Defense Agreement and Pakistan’s presence at the Arab-Islamic Summit hosted Trump in New York, emphasized Islamabad’s rising geostrategic profile.
