Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to meet United States President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 25 September.
The meeting, likely to include Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is expected to focus on trade, regional security, and flood management in Pakistan, reported Geo News citing sources.
On Sunday, Pakistani deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar held a telephonic conversation with US state secretary Marco Rubio for discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
According to Pakistani media, topics will include Pakistan’s response to natural disasters, the aftermath of the Israeli strike on Qatar, and the state of India-Pakistan relations.
The meeting is being facilitated in consultation with Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Relations between the US and Pakistan have grown in strategic importance, particularly as tensions persist between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which claimed 26 lives.
India’s subsequent military response, Operation Sindoor, targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, leading to a brief conflict in May.
Islamabad is seeking to strengthen its diplomatic and economic engagement with the United States, amid regional instability and stalled trade negotiations with New Delhi.
The meeting follows a series of diplomatic interactions in recent months.
Munir has accompanied Sharif to international forums, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China.
Earlier this year, the US President 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 under a new agreement with US Strategic Metals.
Relations between Washington and New Delhi have experienced recent strains.
Trump’s claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan were rejected by New Delhi.
In July, tensions escalated further after the US criticised India’s Russian oil imports and imposed tariffs of up to 50 per cent on Indian goods. Trump’s adviser Peter Navarro accused Prime Minister Modi of aligning with Russian and Chinese leadership, calling India a “Kremlin laundromat.”
Trump also referred to India on social media as a “dead economy,” suggesting it could one day purchase oil from Pakistan.
But signs of rapprochement have emerged. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro stated that India was “coming to the table” ahead of day-long bilateral trade talks led by Trump administration negotiator Brendan Lynch.
Modi and Trump’s conciliatory social media posts have further signalled a willingness to resolve trade disputes.