WASHINGTON (THE THURSDAY TIMES) — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met US President Donald Trump at the White House for high-level talks on bilateral ties, regional issues and global challenges. He was accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
The meeting, described by officials as warm and confident, marked a renewed effort by both countries to deepen their relationship after years of fluctuating engagement. Prime Minister Sharif formally inviting President Trump to undertake an official visit to Pakistan, expressing hope that relations would strengthen under Trump’s leadership.
Earlier, speaking to the media, President Trump called Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir “great leaders” and praised their stewardship of Pakistan. During the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif reciprocated the praise, calling President Trump a “man of peace” whose bold and decisive leadership had helped avert a potential crisis between Pakistan and India.
The Prime Minister also commended President Trump’s efforts to end the war in Gaza, highlighting his recent initiative to bring together key Muslim leaders in New York for consultations on restoring peace in Gaza and the West Bank.
On the economic front, Prime Minister Sharif thanked President Trump for the tariff arrangement concluded earlier this year between Pakistan and the United States and invited American companies to invest in Pakistan’s agriculture, IT, mining and energy sectors.
Both leaders also discussed regional security, including counterterrorism and intelligence cooperation. Prime Minister Sharif welcomed Washington’s public recognition of Pakistan’s role in counterterrorism and stressed the importance of further strengthening security ties.
Observers viewed the White House meeting as a pivotal moment in Pakistan–US relations, underscored by President Trump’s unusually warm remarks and the high-level participation of Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.∎
