Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir met with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC. Although it was scheduled to begin at 4:30 pm (Washington time) on Thursday (September 25), the meeting began slightly late as President Trump signed an executive order and spoke briefly with reporters. The media was not allowed to enter the meeting, which lasted about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

The Pakistani Prime Minister's Office said that US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were present at the meeting. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and discussed issues of mutual interest in addition to the regional and global situation.

Trump's 'great man' comments

Before the meeting, Trump told reporters, "A great leader is coming to the White House. The Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Field Marshal - both are great people." In the picture released during the meeting, Shahbaz and Asim Munir are seen talking to Trump. Trump was seen smilingly giving a thumbs-up.

First formal meeting in a long time

This was the first formal bilateral meeting between Trump and Shahbaz Sharif. The last time former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the White House was in July 2019 during Trump's first term. Shahbaz and Asim Munir were seen waiting patiently on the golden furniture of the Oval Office before the meeting.

US-Pakistan relations are warming

According to Radio Pakistan, the talks also discussed strengthening Pakistan-US relations. At a press conference in New York, a senior US State Department official said that relations between Washington and Islamabad are "gradually warming" during Trump's second term.

Context of regional tensions

For years, the US has seen India as a counterweight to China's influence in Asia. On the other hand, Pakistan has been seen as a close ally of China. However, since Trump took office, there have been various tensions between India and the US—such as visa complications, high tariffs, and Trump's claim that he was the one who brought about the ceasefire after the recent Pakistan-India conflict. For these reasons, diplomatic circles believe that the US is now showing a relatively positive attitude towards Islamabad.

Shahbaz's visit to the US

Shahbaz Sharif is currently on a visit to the US to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. During the visit, he participated in a multilateral meeting of Muslim countries and several meetings with the heads of international financial institutions. Today, he will return to New York to address the General Assembly.