US-Pak Ties

A US delegation held talks with Pakistani officials to seek cooperation in minerals and mining as Washington races to secure mineral supply chains for American industry amid concerns over China's increasing control on rare-earth resources. The US delegation, led by Critical Minerals Forum (CMF) chief Robert Louis Strayer II, along with US Charg d'Affaires Natalie Baker, met Minister for Finance & Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb and his team on Friday. According to an official statement, the US delegation discussed avenues of cooperation in the minerals and mining sector, strengthening supply-chain security, and encouraging responsible and sustainable investment in Pakistan's critical minerals landscape. It said that Aurangzeb highlighted Pakistan's ongoing structural reforms, fiscal discipline, and positive global outlook, emphasising that a robust minerals policy can drive Pakistan toward export-led growth and long-term economic stability. Both sides reaffirmed commitment to continued

A modified US arms contract now includes Pakistan among buyers of Raytheon's AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, signalling renewed military ties between Washington and Islamabad

The proposal, supported by Army chief Asim Munir, is commercial and seeks to diversify Pakistan's partnerships by reducing reliance on China while strengthening ties with the US

US President Donald Trump will meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Tuesday on the margins of the high-level 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Trump will address the General Debate of the UN General Assembly Tuesday morning, his first address to world leaders in his second term as president from the iconic UNGA podium. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the daily press briefing Monday that Trump will deliver a major speech touting the renewal of American strength around the world, his historic accomplishments in just eight months, including the ending of seven global wars and conflicts. Trump has repeatedly said that he ended the conflict between India and Pakistan and is expected to repeat that claim from the UNGA podium when he addresses world leaders tomorrow. Leavitt said the president will also touch upon how globalist institutions have significantly decayed the world order, and he will articulate his straightforward and ...

Pakistan's military, buoyed by recent India clashes, sees itself central to regional politics, with Army Chief Munir twice visiting the US, meeting Trump, and addressing overseas Pakistanis

Both sides reaffirmed their intention to work closely in multilateral fora, including the United Nations, to promote effective and enduring approaches to counterterrorism

The US designation of the Balochistan Liberation Army as a 'foreign terror group' signals growing ties with Pakistan. But there's more that Trump administration is eyeing in the region

As US President Donald Trump has ramped up his country's ties with Pakistan, China's all-weather ally, Chinese strategic experts say Islamabad understands the limits given his strategy to contain Beijing's global influence. Last month, Pakistan's army chief, General Asim Munir, made his first official visit to China since assuming office as field marshal. His visit came shortly after a rare five-day trip to Washington, where he attended a private luncheon with Trump. That meeting culminated in Trump's announcement of enhanced US-Pakistan cooperation in various fields, including an oil deal. According to a recent "Economist" article, the outcome of General Munir's US visit marks a shift in American foreign policy, with implications not only for India but also China and the Middle East. During his time in Beijing, General Munir met with Vice President Han Zheng, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and senior members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), though not with President Xi Jinping. Thi

Islamabad called the strikes a breach of international law and warned of wider conflict, hours after praising Trump for "averting war" between India and Pakistan

Pakistan may no longer be a US foreign policy priority, but policymakers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are reportedly monitoring President-elect Donald Trump's key nominations closely

Other South Asian leaders can't rely on the warm personal relationship that Trump shares with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

A Hindu political group in the US has raised questions about Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris's ties with a Pakistani-American member of the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), expressing concerns about the direction her administration might take on sensitive issues like Kashmir. The remarks by Utsav Sanduja, founder and chairman of Hindus for America First, came after the USCIRF last week released an India Country Update which alleged that religious freedom conditions in India have continued to worsen throughout 2024, particularly in the months before and immediately following the country's general elections. India described the report as malicious which only serves to discredit USCIRF further. Sanduja, a supporter of former president Donald Trump, posted a video on X in which Vice President Harris was seen praising Asif Mahmood, a Pakistani-American and now a Commissioner of the USCIRF, for supporting her campaign. He has been supporting me

The US State Department has said that the Pakistan F-16 programme was an important part of the broader bilateral relationship, as the American Senate did not object to the proposed $450 million deal

A day after EAM S Jaishankar raised questions over the "merits" of the US-Pakistan ties, the US State Department said it does not view ties with Islamabad and New Delhi in relation to one another

EAM S Jaishankar has slammed US' proposal to provide services for Pakistan's F-16s, saying no one is fooled by claims that these highly capable aircraft are meant only for counter-terrorism operations

America's relationship with Pakistan has "not served" either of the two countries, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Sunday raising questions on the Biden administration's approval of a USD 450-million sustenance package for F-16 fleet. "Very honestly, it's a relationship that has neither ended up serving Pakistan well, nor serving the American interests. So, it is really for the United States today to reflect on what are the merits of this relationship and what do they get by it, Jaishankar said in response to a question during an interaction with the Indian-Americans. Referring to the argument made by the US that F-16 sustenance package is to fight terrorism, he said everybody knows where and against whom F-16 are used. "You're not fooling anybody by saying these things," he said in response to a question. Early this month, the Biden administration approved a USD 450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan, reversing the decision of the previous

Reversing the decision of its predecessor, the Biden Administration has approved a whooping USD 450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan. As a notification to the US Congress, the State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale of F-16 case for sustainment and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 450 million, arguing that this will sustain Islamabad's capability to meet current and future counterterrorism threats by maintaining its F-16 fleet, The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on Wednesday. This is the first major security assistance to Pakistan after Trump in 2018 had announced to stop all defense and security assistance to Pakistan alleging that Islamabad was not a partner in its fight against terrorism. The United States Government has notified Congress of a proposed Foreign Military Sales case to sustain the Pakistan Air

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also said that he was looking forward to working with the new government in Pakistan