Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday to discuss cooperation in critical minerals, energy, counterterrorism and prospects for increased American investment, according to a U.S. State Department statement.
Rubio thanked Pakistan for its ongoing support of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and for participating as a founding member in the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace.
He also offered condolences for the Jan. 31 attacks in Balochistan and the Feb. 6 bombing in Islamabad, reaffirming the importance of continued partnership in counterterrorism efforts.
The secretary welcomed Pakistan’s participation in the recent Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington. Both sides discussed critical minerals and energy sector development, as well as commercial investment opportunities for American companies.
Separately, Sharif held informal meetings in Washington with global leaders attending the inaugural session of the Board of Peace, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
He met Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan and Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia.
The Prime Minister’s Office said “important regional and global issues” were discussed during those meetings.
Earlier, addressing the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Peace Board chaired by Trump in Washington, Sharif said the establishment of a free and sovereign Palestinian state is the legitimate right of the Palestinian people and essential for lasting peace in Gaza and the wider Middle East.
He said achieving durable peace in Gaza is Pakistan’s mission and stressed that Palestinians must be granted their rights in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Sharif also called for an immediate end to ceasefire violations in Gaza, saying a durable truce is critical for regional stability.
Praising Trump’s diplomatic interventions, the prime minister said timely efforts had helped prevent wider confrontations, including tensions in South Asia, saving thousands of lives and averting large-scale destruction.
Trump said there was no alternative to the Gaza Peace Board in terms of its objectives and importance and pledged to ensure the United Nations remains effective in pursuing peace.
Sharif’s participation in the session came amid protests by opposition parties in Pakistan’s Senate, where lawmakers staged a walkout and criticized the government’s foreign policy and questioned the transparency of the Gaza Peace Board.
Opposition leaders demanded that the government take Parliament into confidence over diplomatic engagements, particularly regarding Gaza and regional security matters.
The government said Pakistan’s stance on Palestine remains consistent and principled, rooted in support for a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Sharif as its capital, in line with relevant United Nations resolutions.
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