Pakistan confirms Dar-Rubio talks for July 26 as part of high-level US visit

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is scheduled to meet U.S. Senator Marco Rubio on Friday, July 26, during his ongoing visit to the United States, Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed Thursday.

The meeting marks the first cabinet-level engagement between the two countries since 2016.

According to the Foreign Office, the meeting will focus on a range of regional and bilateral issues, including the state of India-Pakistan relations.

The discussion comes at a time of renewed tensions in South Asia, triggered by a deadly April 17 attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan-based militants, an allegation Islamabad firmly denied, calling instead for an independent international investigation.

Tensions rose further on May 7 after cross-border artillery fire and limited airstrikes, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a ceasefire between the arch-rivals.

While Pakistan welcomed the proposal, India rejected any third-party involvement, maintaining its longstanding stance that Kashmir is a bilateral issue.

The upcoming Dar-Rubio meeting follows a series of high-level diplomatic engagements by Dar during his ongoing visit to New York, which began on July 21 and will continue through July 28.

During the trip, he has engaged in a series of high-level diplomatic meetings and multilateral events.

He has already met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the President of the UN General Assembly, and participated in the ministerial segment of the General Debate. On Friday, he is also expected to chair a high-level UN Security Council session focused on international peace and security.

Under Pakistan’s current presidency of the Security Council, the body recently adopted a key resolution addressing global security threats. Dar has also chaired multiple side events, including one on the Middle East, where he reiterated Pakistan’s principled opposition to ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Syria.

“Pakistan strongly condemns the Israeli strikes,” said Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan. “We support Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

On the regional front, Khan confirmed that discussions are underway to finalize the Iranian President’s visit to Pakistan, with dates to be announced soon.

Interior Minister's trip to Kabul 'successful'

He also described Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s recent trip to Kabul as “successful and meaningful,” noting that bilateral ties with Afghanistan have improved since Dar’s April visit. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is also expected in Islamabad, with preparations in progress.

Commenting on the broader U.S.-Pakistan dynamic, former foreign secretary Salman Bashir recently told Nukta that such engagements are “always important and useful” for recalibrating bilateral ties and reviewing regional developments.

He pointed to trade tariffs and counterterrorism as likely discussion points, while cautioning that India’s “obduracy and threatening posture” could complicate progress. He also expressed doubt over how much influence the international community can exert on New Delhi.