WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with President of the United States Donald Trump praising him as a “man of peace” for his sincere efforts to end conflicts worldwide and commended the steps on the bilateral front to strengthen the Pakistan-UN economic cooperation.
During their “warm and cordial” meeting at Oval Office on Thursday, the prime minister, who was accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir NI (M), HJ, expressed his deep admiration for President Trump’s “bold, courageous and decisive” leadership that had facilitated the ceasefire between Pakistan and India thereby helping to avert a major catastrophe in South Asia.
While discussing the situation in the Middle East, Prime Minister Shehbaz lauded President Trump’s efforts to bring about an immediate end to the war in Gaza, especially his initiative to invite key leaders of the Muslim world in New York, earlier this week, for a comprehensive exchange of views for restoration of peace in the Middle East, in particular Gaza and the West Bank.
He also thanked President Trump for the tariff arrangement that was concluded between Pakistan and the United States earlier this year.
While fondly recalling the longstanding partnership between the two countries, he expressed the confidence that under President Trump’s leadership, the Pakistan-US partnership would be further strengthened to the mutual benefit of both countries. In this regard, the Prime Minister invited the US companies to invest in Pakistan’s agriculture, IT, mines and minerals and energy sectors.
As the two leaders also discussed regional security including counter-terrorism cooperation, the prime minister thanked President Trump for his public endorsement of Pakistan’s role in counter-terrorism and stressed the need to further enhance cooperation in security and intelligence.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also extended a warm and cordial invitation to President Trump to undertake an official visit to Pakistan, at his convenience.
Ahead of the meeting President Trump, in his media interaction at a ceremony to sign executive orders, praised Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for the way they were leading Pakistan, referring their scheduled meeting.
“In fact, we have a great leader coming. We have the Prime Minister of Pakistan coming and the Field Marshal. The Field Marshal is a very great guy and so is the Prime Minister,” he remarked.
Prime Minister Shehbaz, who is visiting US primarily to attend the 80th UN General Assembly session travelled to Washington for this high-profile meeting and would return to New York to address the UNGA on Friday.
As the prime minister, accompanied by a Pakistani delegation, arrived in Washington, DC for the meeting, he was warmly welcomed at Andrews Air Base with a red-carpet reception by a senior US Air Force official. His motorcade departed the airbase under stringent US security measures.
Earlier on Tuesday in New York, both leaders held an “informal meeting with pleasant exchange of greetings” at the conclusion of the Arab-Islamic summit hosted by President Trump and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Than in New York. The meeting was marked by a “warm handshake and a candid conversation.”, the PM Office said.
Recently, during his ongoing US visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz while talking to the media, praised President Trump and his team for playing a significant role in the ceasefire between Pakistan and India.
The meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Trump comes weeks after a high-level US delegation including renowned global companies in the mining and infrastructure sector visited Pakistan and two MoUs focusing in development and processing of critical minerals, including rare earth elements (REEs), were signed between the two governments on September 8.
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