The United States has urged Pakistan to continue its involvement in ongoing peace initiatives with Iran to ease tensions with Israel, amidst escalating concerns of a wider regional conflict. This development followed a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and US Secretary of State Rubio on Friday, as reported by the Prime Minister’s Office.
During their warm and amiable discussion, the Prime Minister extended his best wishes to President Donald Trump and commended his bold leadership. He also acknowledged Secretary Rubio’s proactive diplomatic efforts, which were instrumental in facilitating a ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India and averting a significant crisis between the two nuclear-armed nations.
Premier Shehbaz further highlighted that President Trump’s positive remarks concerning Pakistan were highly encouraging for fostering lasting peace in South Asia, a goal achievable only through meaningful dialogue between Pakistan and India. In this context, he reiterated Pakistan’s readiness for discussions with India on all unresolved matters, including Jammu & Kashmir, the Indus Water Treaty, trade, and counter-terrorism.
The situation in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-Israel crisis, was also a key topic of discussion. Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized the imperative of finding a peaceful resolution to this severe crisis through dialogue and diplomatic channels. He affirmed Pakistan’s willingness to play a constructive role in any peace initiatives in the current alarming situation, which poses a serious concern not only for the region but for the entire world.
Recalling President Trump’s focus on trade, the Prime Minister stated that Pakistan and the US need to collaborate to advance mutually beneficial cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas, including trade, investment, energy, mining, rare earth metals, and IT.
Regarding security and counter-terrorism, Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to combating the threat of terrorism throughout the country, specifically addressing the menace posed by BLA, TTP, and other militant groups. In response, Secretary Rubio lauded Pakistan’s counter-terrorism endeavors and assured the US’s full cooperation in countering all such threats.
The Prime Minister expressed great satisfaction with the highly cordial and productive discussions held between President Trump and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Washington earlier this week. Both the Prime Minister and the senior US diplomat concurred that the discussions between their two nations must now translate into tangible actions across all sectors.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also underscored the necessity of frequent high-level engagements to build upon the positive momentum in Pakistan-US bilateral relations. In this regard, he reiterated his invitation to President Trump for an official visit to Pakistan and expressed his personal anticipation of meeting the US President at the earliest opportunity. The Prime Minister also renewed his invitation for Secretary Rubio to visit Pakistan soon.
Expressing gratitude for the telephone call, Secretary Rubio conveyed his desire to enhance bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the US across all areas of shared interest. He also commended Pakistan’s commitment to upholding the ceasefire understanding with India, as well as its sustained efforts for regional peace. In this context, he encouraged Pakistan, which maintains excellent relations with Iran, to continue its role in the ongoing peace efforts with Iran. He further noted that the US is dedicated to working closely with Pakistan to promote both regional and global peace and stability.
