Islamabad:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif probably meets US President Donald Trump in the margins of the upcoming UN General Assembly Session, according to sources, who are familiar with the development.
The prime minister is ready to take on a visit to New York to attend Unga next week, where he will keep the speech. On the sidelines, he is expected to meet several world leaders. But the most important meeting he probably wants is with President Trump.
The sources said that both sides were in contact with each other and almost completed the schedule. This would be the first meeting of any Pakistani Prime Minister with the US President of several years.
During the four -year period of former President Joe Biden, there was no bilateral encounter with any of the Pakistani Prime Minister. In fact, Biden never spoke to any of the Pakistani leaders during his period in the White House.
The expected meeting between Trump and Shehbaz would focus on a wide range of questions, including bilateral cooperation, regional and international issues.
Since President Trump joined, Pakistan-US-tape has seen a reset. In June, Trump took the unprecedented step of hosting Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir in the White House – the first time a US president has ever hosted a Pakistani army chief.
The meeting took place in the middle of the Israeli Iranian war and only weeks after the conflict in the Pakistan India. Islamabad recognized public President Trump’s role in the mediation of a ceasefire between Pakistan and India and continued to formally nominate him at the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to peace in South Asia.
While the relationship between Pakistan and the United States saw an unexpected upward course, Washington’s relationship with New Delhi hit a historically low. India was upset that Trump hosted the Pakistani army’s chief week of the Pahagam attack, which New Delhi accused of Islamabad.
However, the Trump administration gave little attention to the Indian concerns and termed Pakistan an important partner. During the probable meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Trump, Pakistan would press to seek sustained ties with the United States.
The Trump Administration’s steps to seek deeper commitment with Pakistan stem from the changing geostrategic realities as well as a great interest in rare earth minerals. First recently, an American company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) with Pakistan’s Frontier Works Organization (FWO) to explore collaboration in critical minerals.
Mou was signed in the Prime Minister’s 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).
The American Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, who spoke on the occasion, called Mou “Another example of the strength of the American Pakistani bilateral relationship that will benefit both countries.” She added that the Trump administration has prioritized such agreements considering the importance of critical mineral resources for US security and prosperity.
The deal comes at a time when Islamabad and Washington are trying to calibrate ties again after years of mistrust. A key factor that runs this commitment is Pakistan’s unused mineral wealth, which the government hopes to develop with foreign investment. Analysts point out that FWO’s involvement of FWO, an arm from the Pakistani army, emphasizes the central role of resources in resource development.
The signing also follows the Army Chief General Asim Munir’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in June, which many considered a breakthrough in revival of strategic dialogue. Both sides then agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment and security, with critical minerals identified as a priority area.
Pakistan and the American connections have often been seen as transnational and primarily in the past he has been safety -driven. Islamabad has been pressing for decades to diversify relations with Washington in addition to security and Afghanistan.
After the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, observers were not sure if Washington had any interest left in Islamabad. These uncertainties were further increased as Trump returned to the White House.
Experts in both Washington and Islamabad were of the opinion that under President Trump’s 2.0 administration, the prospect of reset with Pakistan was bleak. But what happened later defied all projections as the United States ties with Pakistan unexpectedly hot, while Washington’s relationship with New Delhi hit the rock floor.
The critical factor, many people believe, is Pakistan’s carefully -formed policy that won Trump’s heart. Pakistan has managed to increase the Trump administration by offering investment in the critical mineral sector.
China is currently swaying over the critical mineral resources with regard to production and supply chain. The United States is desperate looking for alternatives and eager to invest in the sector.
