Trump to meet Shehbaz Sharif after Tuesday’s ‘informal exchange’

After a brief encounter at the United Nations General Assembly, US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the White House on Thursday. The news was confirmed by an anonymous Trump administration official in a conversation with Reuters on Wednesday.

The meeting between the two leaders is coming at a time when the two nations are on the verge of finalising a trade deal. In recent months, US-Pakistan ties have warmed significantly, with Trump hardening his stance against both India and China.

Washington’s ties with New Delhi have strained significantly after the Republican firebrand imposed nearly 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods and put visa hurdles for Indians planning to study and work abroad. At the heart of the tension is also Trump’s repeated claims that he brokered an India-Pakistan ceasefire in May after the military escalations between the two nuclear-armed nations. However, India maintained that the decision to pause fighting was a “bilateral one”.

A trade deal on the horizon?

It is pertinent to note that the United States and Pakistan announced a trade deal on July 31, with a 19 per cent tariff rate imposed by Washington. Meanwhile, Trump is yet to reach a trade deal with India, as both sides express optimism over renewed negotiations.

Earlier this year, Trump welcomed controversial Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, who has notoriously made provocative remarks against India. During Munir’s visit, many started questioning if the Pakistani field marshal had any political ambition.

“We’re working through several issues when it comes to counter-terrorism, when it comes to economic and trade ties,” a senior State Department official told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday when asked about Pakistan. “And so the president remains focused on advancing U.S. interests in the region, which includes engaging with Pakistan and their government leaders,” the official said.

When asked about the frictions with India, the State Department official said that Trump believed in being frank about frustrations in ties, but the relationship was strong. Washington viewed New Delhi as a good friend and partner and believed their relationship would define the 21st century, the official said.

They noted that Washington had been working on planning for a summit of the Quad grouping of India, Australia, Japan and the United States that India had been expected to hold in November. “That would happen, if not this year, early next year,” the official averred.

Interestingly, Pakistan has backed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. A few weeks later, Islamabad condemned US ally Israel’s bombardments in Gaza, Qatar and Iran.

With inputs from Reuters.