WASHINGTON:The US administration has confirmed that President Donald Trump will host Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at White House on Thursday evening
According to the schedule released by the White House, the leaders meeting will be held at 4:30 pm American time.
Earlier, a Trump administration official also confirmed the meeting between PM Shehbaz and Trump, which comes weeks after the two countries agreed to a trade deal, to Reuters news agency.
According to Radio Pakistan, the two are “expected to discuss matters of mutual interest as well as regional and global situation”.
There are also reports that Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will also join the meeting at White House.
US-Pakistan ties have warmed in recent months under President Trump after Washington had for years viewed Pakistan’s rival India as a counter to China’s influence in Asia.
Washington’s relations with New Delhi have been tested under President Trump over issues such as visa hurdles for Indians, high US tariff rates imposed on goods from India and Trump’s repeated claims that he brokered an India-Pakistan ceasefire in May after the South Asian neighbours locked in a conflict.
The United States and Pakistan announced a trade deal on July 31 with a 19% tariff rate imposed by Washington. Trump is yet to reach a trade deal with India.
Officials and analysts have noted that after tensions with Washington, New Delhi is recaliberating relations with China as a hedge.
Trump had welcomed Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir earlier this year, the first time a US president hosted the head of Pakistan’s army – widely regarded as the most powerful figure in the country – at the White House.
“We’re working through a number of issues when it comes to counter-terrorism, when it comes to economic and trade ties,” a senior State Department official told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday when asked about Pakistan.
“And so the president remains focused on advancing US interests in the region, that includes through engaging with Pakistan and their government leaders,” the official said.
When asked about frictions with India, the official said Trump believed in being frank about frustrations in ties but the relationship was strong. Washington viewed New Delhi as a good friend and partner and believed their relationship would define the 21st century, the official said.
Pakistan has backed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, although Islamabad has condemned US ally Israel’s bombardments in Gaza, Qatar and Iran.
Shehbaz Sharif was part of a meeting Trump had on Tuesday with leaders of many Muslim-majority countries where the US president discussed Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Washington says the US shared peace proposals with leaders from those countries in the meeting held on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly.
According to other reports, the media team of PM Shehbaz, the staff at Pakistan’s embassy and its UN mission, all describe the meeting with President Trump at White House as being “almost certain”.
This is evident from the fact that several senior diplomats have already returned to Washington to prepare. Members of the embassy’s media staff are also shifting back to the capital, while journalists from Pakistan covering the visit are arranging a quick trip south.
In a media interaction, when asked by reporters about the possibility of his meeting with President Trump on Thursday, PM Shehbaz simply smiled and said that he would speak about it the following day.
