Shehbaz says Pakistan-US ties ‘revitalized’ after Trump talks

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Monday that Pakistan’s relations with the United States were being revitalized following his “highly fruitful, productive” meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, which was also attended by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

Speaking to reporters in London, Shehbaz said the discussions covered trade, investment, oil and gas exploration, mines and minerals, IT, artificial intelligence and other areas. He said Trump assured him that the United States would accelerate bilateral economic cooperation.

Praise for Trump’s peace efforts

The prime minister told reporters that he praised Trump during his UN General Assembly address for his role in brokering the Pakistan-India ceasefire and making “a significant contribution to world peace.”

“I noted that both our countries are nuclear powers, and Trump’s intervention prevented catastrophic regional consequences. Had he (Trump) not intervened, the consequences could have been catastrophic for the region and who would have lived to tell what had happened,” he said.

He added that Pakistan had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Ethiopia-Egypt conflict and his ongoing role in Ukraine. He called the U.S. president a “man of peace.”

Meeting on Gaza with Muslim leaders

PM Shehbaz said his New York and Washington visits were “fruitful and successful,” including a multilateral meeting on Gaza co-chaired by Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Leaders from Pakistan, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Jordan and Egypt also attended.

“There was an encouraging discussion and I’m confident that it will come up with a positive outcome for Gaza ceasefire… After the meeting, my expectations have greatly risen… In our meeting too in Washington, President Trump’s words were reassuring. Insha Allah, I hope you will hear good news very soon,” Shehbaz said.

At the UNGA, Shehbaz condemned Israel’s “rogue behavior” in Gaza and demanded that Palestinians be granted access to food and lifesaving medicines.

‘On same page with army chief’

Shehbaz said he and Field Marshal Munir consulted on every major issue, including foreign policy, the economy, IMF programs and the recent conflict with India.

“We consult on every issue. We are on one page and making sincere efforts. I pray for this coordination and harmony among political leadership and institutions to make Pakistan not only overcome the past losses, but also reach new heights,” he said.

The prime minister also used his UN address to raise Pakistan’s positions on Kashmir, water rights and what he called the Marka-e-Haq, where he credited Pakistan’s armed forces for their courage and professional acumen under Munir’s leadership.

He said terrorism had resurged due to past policy decisions, but vowed security forces would defeat groups such as BLA, TTP and others opposed to Pakistan’s stability.

He also said Pakistan’s economy had stabilized at the macro level despite devastating floods that killed more than 1,000 people and destroyed thousands of villages.

“Despite these challenges, our morale remains high, and we are determined to recover,” he said, adding that his ultimate goal was an economically self-reliant Pakistan.

“The time has come. Time and tide wait for none. We should take advantage of this time as friendly countries are willing to support like Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, US and China,” Shehbaz concluded.

— With additional input from APP.