US-Pak ties in focus as Sharif set to meet Donald Trump during UNGA visit

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel from New York to Washington on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties with US President Donald Trump

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties, according to a report by Reuters.

 

Sharif, who is currently in New York to attend the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session, will be travelling to Washington to meet Trump. Sharif is likely to return to New York the same day.

 

Sharif was also part of the meeting Trump had with leaders of Muslim-majority countries on the Israel-Gaza conflict on Tuesday. After the meeting, Sharif was seen exchanging pleasantries with Trump, PTI reported.

Trump’s dealings with Pak

The thaw in relations follows a trade deal between the two nations, assurances on oil reserves, and major crypto investments. These developments come at a time when Washington has imposed heavy sanctions on India.

 

US-Pakistan trade deal

In July this year, Pakistan inked a trade deal with the US that included lower tariffs at 19 per cent and increased investment for Islamabad. Both countries decided to increase cooperation across different sectors, including energy, mines and minerals, IT, and cryptocurrency. Trump also said that the pact includes developing Pakistan’s oil reserves.

World Liberty partners Pak Crypto Council

Trump’s close aide and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff’s World Liberty Financial (WLF) recently struck an agreement with Pakistan’s Crypto Council, aimed at exploring blockchain-based financial initiatives and digital asset opportunities. WLF is a cryptocurrency startup founded by the Trumps and Witkoffs. 

 

According to Dawn, Witkoff’s son Zach Witkoff visited Pakistan earlier this year and praised the economic potential, saying there are excellent investment opportunities in the digital finance sector in Pakistan, and he wanted the country to play an important role in the global digital economy.

Pak army chief’s White House visit

Trump also welcomed Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir earlier this year, the first time a US president hosted the head of Pakistan’s army at the White House. During his visit, Munir openly threatened nuclear war against India from American soil.

 

Trump’s stance stands in sharp contrast to that of Joe Biden’s administration, which never engaged with any Pakistani Prime Minister over a phone call, let alone hosted the army chief at the White House.

US-India ties remain turbulent

The increasing cooperation between the US and Pakistan comes as Washington imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India starting August 27, including a 25 per cent penalty for buying Russian crude.

 

However, both Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have maintained that they share a strong relationship despite the temporary differences.

 

The US has been working on planning for a summit of the Quad grouping of India, Australia, Japan, and the United States. “That would happen, if not this year, early next year,” a US official told Reuters.