ISLAMABAD – United States President Donald Trump is slated to host Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the White House this Thursday, in a meeting that comes just weeks after the two nations finalized a significant trade deal.
Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is also expected to attend, key talks as leaders of both sides are expected to hold detailed review on broad spectrum of global and regional issues. The meeting comes a day after PM Sharif had informal meeting with POTUS.
All eyes will be on the meeting as Pakistan remains a key ally of US while Washington’s tensions with New Delhi explodes.
US-Pakistan relations have notably warmed under Trump, after years in which Washington favored India as a counterbalance to China’s influence in Asia. Meanwhile, US-India relations have faced friction over issues such as visa restrictions, high tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, and Trump’s repeated claims that he brokered an India-Pakistan ceasefire in May following the latest hostilities between the South Asian rivals.
Earlier this year, US and Pakistan announced a trade deal that included a 19% tariff, while Trump has yet to reach a similar agreement with India. Observers note that, following tensions with Washington, India is recalibrating its ties with China as a strategic hedge.
Trump also hosted Field Marshal Munir at the White House, the first time a US president welcomed Pakistan’s army chief without senior civilian officials.
Pakistan publicly supported Trump for Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his role in de-escalating India-Pakistan tensions, even as Islamabad has condemned US ally Israel’s military actions in Gaza, Qatar, and Iran.
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