ISLAMABAD (TNS) I have never seen such respect and acceptance of Pakistan in my entire life. Pakistan is currently the center of attention of the whole world. Pakistan is the most powerful country in the world, such words have not been spoken about Pakistan by any US President before today. By the way, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is brilliant that indeed it is the first meeting and even if it is for two minutes, the style of meeting is as if they have known each other for two decades. In the second term of US President Donald Trump, the relationship between Pak-US relations is getting warmer. It should be remembered that in June 2025, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir met US President Donald Trump at the White House. This high-level meeting took place during lunch in the Cabinet Room, after which a visit to the Oval Office was also made. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and US President Donald Trump have stressed the need for a peaceful resolution to the Iran-Israel conflict.
The Iran-Israel tensions were discussed in detail during the meeting. For years, the US has seen India as a counterweight to China’s growing influence in Asia, while Pakistan has been considered a close ally of China. US relations with India have been strained since Trump took office in January 2025, with visa restrictions for Indians, Washington’s heavy tariffs on Indian products and President Trump’s repeated claims that he personally brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after cross-border clashes in May. US relations with Pakistan are not tied to its partnership with India. Recent US investment in Pakistan’s mineral sector, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as well as continued US interest in petroleum exploration, is also drawing US attention. The US is still reviewing a recently concluded defence deal between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. On July 31, the two countries announced a trade deal, under which the US imposed a 19% tax on Pakistani products, while Trump has yet to finalise any such deal with India. Analysts say that in response to tensions with the US, New Delhi has begun to recalibrate its relations with China as a balance. It should be recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s diplomatic visit to the US culminated with a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.
According to reports, during his visit to the US, the Prime Minister has attended the UN General Assembly session, a key multilateral meeting of the Muslim bloc, and separate meetings with the heads of international financial institutions in New York. The prime minister’s media team, Pakistan’s embassy and its UN mission staff had described the meeting as “almost certain.” Field Marshal Asim Munir was also present at the meeting with the prime minister in Washington, having earlier this year become the country’s first military commander to be invited for a bilateral meeting at the White House. However, there was no official confirmation of the meeting with President Trump until then. Photos released after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir met US President Donald Trump at the White House showed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir exchanging views with Trump, with Trump giving his signature thumbs-up gesture during a group photo. The meeting was scheduled for 4:30 pm Washington time (1:30 am Pakistan Standard Time), but was delayed by about 30 minutes as the US president was signing executive orders and speaking to reporters. The meeting between Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir and US President Donald Trump lasted for about an hour and 20 minutes. US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also present in the meeting.
Pictures from the White House press pool show Prime Minister Shahbaz and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir waiting in the Oval Office, while US President Trump is wrapping up his engagements. It should be noted that this is the first official bilateral contact between the two leaders, this meeting comes 6 years after former Prime Minister Imran Khan met Trump for the first time in July 2019. Earlier, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was given a red carpet welcome upon his arrival at Andrews Air Base, where a senior US Air Force official welcomed the Prime Minister at the airbase. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir was also with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Trump said that a ‘great leader’ is coming to the White House. He told reporters that “the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Field Marshal are coming for a meeting. The Field Marshal has an excellent personality and so is the Prime Minister.” The US President’s schedule released by the White House shows that journalists were not invited to the meeting, which is a departure from Trump’s usual practice, as he usually invites selected journalists to the Oval Office.Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has convinced the world in the past year that Pakistan is the most important country in the world, has importance and recognition in the region, and is a distinct force in the Muslim world. Currently, world leaders are participating in the UN meeting and the Prime Minister is meeting leaders from all over the world. This proves that if the leadership is sincere and the intentions are right, the world not only listens to you but also appreciates you. Long live Pakistan
