Shehbaz Sharif To Meet Trump At UNGA As Pakistan Seeks Closer US Ties: Report

Islamabad: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is slated to meet United States President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 25 September, in what is being viewed as a bid by Pakistan to strengthen ties with Washington, claimed reports.

The meeting, likely to include Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is expected to cover “trade, regional security, and flood management in Pakistan,” according to a Geo News report referenced by Pakistani sources.

In related diplomatic moves, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aiming to bolster bilateral relations.

Other topics expected to come up in the meeting include Pakistan’s responses to natural disasters, the fallout from the Israeli strike on Qatar, and the status of India-Pakistan relations.

The meeting is being arranged with facilitation from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, reported the Telegraph.

Analysts say Islamabad is seeking deeper diplomatic and economic engagement with the United States, amid regional instability and stalled trade negotiations with New Delhi.

Islamabad is seeking to strengthen its diplomatic and economic engagement with the United States, amid regional instability and stalled trade negotiations with New Delhi.

Earlier this year, Trump had hosted Munir for a luncheon, praising both him and Prime Minister Modi for preventing further escalation in South Asia. Pakistan has also secured a $500 million investment from the United States in its critical minerals sector. This was done under a new agreement with US Strategic Metals. Relations between US and India have witnessed recent strains. New Delhi had time and again declined Trump’s claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.