Shehbaz Sharif Likely To Meet Donald Trump In New York On Sep 25, Asim Munir To Join Talks: Pak Media

<p>Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to hold talks with United States President Donald Trump on 25 September in New York, as per Pakistani media reportes. The interaction is likely to take place on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).&nbsp;The meeting, if it takes place, will also see the participation of Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir.</p>
<p>According to Geo TV, sources said that&nbsp;the agenda is expected to be wide-ranging, covering Pakistan&rsquo;s flood situation, the regional fallout of the Israeli strike on Qatar, and developments concerning India.</p>
<p>Diplomatic circles told Geo TV that Qatar and Saudi Arabia have thrown their weight behind the Sharif&ndash;Trump engagement. Pakistan&rsquo;s embassy, however, has not confirmed or denied the possibility of such a meeting.</p>
<h3><strong>Backdrop of Warming Pakistan&ndash;US Ties</strong></h3>
<p>The reported development comes at a time of steadily improving ties between Islamabad and Washington. This follows the May confrontation between Pakistan and India.</p>
<p>Notably, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir has made multiple visits to the United States in recent months, including a rare one-on-one meeting with Trump in June as he backed the US President’s bid for a Nobel Peace Prize. During his August visit, Munir attended the retirement ceremony of outgoing CENTCOM Commander General Michael E Kurilla and the Change of Command Ceremony for Admiral Brad Cooper. He also held talks with Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, Geo TV reported.</p>
<p>Alongside the diplomatic track, economic relations have also seen forward movement. Pak Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday, with both leaders reaffirming their resolve to bolster bilateral ties. Their earlier meeting in July paved the way for a trade agreement aimed at lowering tariffs, improving market access for Pakistani exports, attracting investment, and advancing cooperation in energy, including oil reserves.</p>
<p>This month, Pakistan also secured around USD 500 million of US investment in its critical minerals sector through a deal with United States Strategic Metals (USSM).</p>
<h3><strong>India&ndash;US Trade Talks</strong></h3>
<p>While Islamabad and Washington explore avenues to strengthen ties, the US is simultaneously engaging with New Delhi to ease trade frictions. Bloomberg reported that two sets of negotiations are underway in the Indian capital this week. A delegation led by Brendan Lynch, Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, held discussions with Indian officials on Tuesday.</p>
<p>India&rsquo;s chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal said the meetings would determine the way forward in bilateral trade talks. The discussions follow a decision by President Trump to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, the steepest in Asia, in response to what Washington views as barriers to trade and continued oil purchases from Russia.</p>
<p>US defence officials and Boeing executives are also scheduled to be in India this week for negotiations on the potential USD 4 billion sale of naval surveillance aircraft. New Delhi, as per Bloomberg, is approaching the talks with &ldquo;cautious optimism,&rdquo; underscoring the need for further steps to reset relations.</p>