New York/Islamabad, 26 Sept

US President Donald Trump met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties, the first formal interaction between Trump and Sharif.

Speaking to reporters, Trump called Sharif and Munir “great leaders” and praised their visit. The meeting was held in the Oval Office with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio present and was described by Pakistan’s Prime Minister's Office (PMO) as being conducted in a “pleasant atmosphere”.

Sharif, in the US for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, is scheduled to address the UNGA General Debate on Friday. The meeting was closed to the press and was scheduled to start at 4.30pm (local time) but was delayed by about 30 minutes due to President Trump’s engagements. The White House meeting lasted about one hour and 20 minutes, starting around 4.52pm (local time). Post-meeting photos showed the leaders exchanging views, with Trump giving his signature thumbs-up sign.

Sharif had earlier met Trump on Tuesday at a multilateral session on the UNGA sidelines attended by leaders from Arab nations, Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. Reports indicated discussions covered matters of mutual interest as well as regional and global issues.

Trump repeated claims that he had helped stop seven wars and played a role in the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire, asserting nearly 50 times since May that Washington mediated a “full and immediate” cessation of hostilities. India maintains that the agreement was reached through direct talks between the two countries’ Directors General of Military Operations.

The last Pakistani prime minister to visit the White House was Imran Khan in July 2019, while Sharif’s brother, Nawaz Sharif, visited in 2015. Historically, the US and Pakistan collaborated during the Cold War and later in counter-terrorism. Still, relations were strained over Pakistan’s alleged ties with militants and the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

The two nations recently reached a trade agreement, imposing a 19 per cent tariff on Pakistani imports and allowing US assistance in developing Pakistan’s oil reserves. In 2024, US goods and services trade with Pakistan reached an estimated USD 10.1 billion, up 6.3 per cent from 2023, with exports at USD 2.1 billion and imports at USD 5.1 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of USD 3 billion.

The White House meeting reflects ongoing engagement between the two countries as Pakistan participates in global forums and seeks to expand economic and strategic cooperation with the US.