Washington, D.C. ( The COW News Digital) The high-profile Pakistan–U.S. leaders’ summit concluded at the White House, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departing for New York shortly afterward. The meeting, held in the Oval Office, lasted nearly one hour and 20 minutes and marked the first formal bilateral engagement between Shehbaz Sharif and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s top military officer, accompanied the prime minister and participated in security and defense consultations with senior U.S. officials. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also present, signaling the significance Washington attached to the talks.
Sources described the atmosphere as “cordial,” with discussions covering a wide range of topics including bilateral ties, regional stability, and global issues. At the end of the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif was presented with a model of the White House as a diplomatic gift — a gesture widely interpreted as symbolic of strengthening ties.
No detailed statement on the substance of the discussions was released to the media. However, President Trump’s remarks ahead of the summit highlighted the importance he attaches to the relationship with Pakistan. “We have a great leader coming — the Prime Minister of Pakistan — and a great Field Marshal, both of whom are my good friends,” Trump told reporters before the talks began.
The meeting is notable as it comes six years after former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s first-term meeting with Trump in July 2019. Observers view this latest engagement as a potential reset of bilateral relations amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.
Prior to his arrival in Washington, Prime Minister Sharif had a series of engagements in New York, including meetings with Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus and Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates. The discussions centered on strengthening regional cooperation, boosting trade, and enhancing social development. Gates and Sharif reiterated their commitment to collaborative efforts in improving health outcomes, eradicating polio, and promoting economic inclusion and digitalization in Pakistan.
Following the White House talks, Shehbaz Sharif traveled to New York, where he is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly later today, outlining Pakistan’s position on regional security, economic challenges, and global cooperation.
