PM Sharif to potentially meet Trump on September 25

WEB DESK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to hold wide-ranging talks with US President Donald Trump on September 25, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

According to The News International, diplomatic sources say the meeting is being shaped after Pakistan’s extensive consultations with Qatar and Saudi Arabia, both of which have signalled support for the engagement. The prime minister will travel to New York with his delegation, which includes Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

The talks are expected to focus on the fallout of Israel’s recent strike on Qatar, a development that has rattled the Gulf region and could dominate the agenda. Other pressing issues, ranging from Pakistan’s flood recovery to wider regional dynamics, are also likely to feature in discussions. For now, both Pakistan’s UN mission and its embassy in Washington are maintaining silence on the prospects of the high-level meeting.

Earlier in July, rumours were rife that Trump would be visiting Pakistan in September, but soon the news was clarified that he had no such plans. In a first, however, Field Marshal Munir was invited to the White House for a luncheon, and was greatly praised by Trump, who often recalls his role in the ceasefire between nuclear nations, Pakistan and India.

Bloomberg had also revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi declined Trump’s White House invitation to avoid meeting Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Munir. The refusal, followed by a tense 35-minute call, had marked a turning point in US-India ties, leading Trump to impose 50 percent tariffs on India, which he now dismisses as a “dead economy.” By contrast, Pakistan has emerged as one of the few countries to secure a smooth trade deal with Washington. Relations improved after Trump announced a ceasefire during Indo-Pak tensions earlier this year, a move welcomed by Islamabad but rejected by Delhi.

After America’s two-decade war in Afghanistan, Pakistan continues to grapple with the fallout of its front-line role. But this time, the stakes are tied to the security of Muslim nations and the fast-evolving Middle East crisis. In recent days, Washington has begun referring to Pakistan as a “strong ally” once again, a signal that a familiar narrative may be taking shape.