ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to strengthening its relationship with the United States during a meeting with US Chargé d'Affaires Natalie Baker in Islamabad yesterday.

The PM emphasised the importance of continued close cooperation between Pakistan and the US, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism, to address emerging threats posed by groups such as Daesh and Fitna Al-Khawarij. "Pakistan and the United States should continue to work closely, especially in the counter-terrorism domain," he said, underscoring the need for sustained collaboration to combat shared security challenges.

In addition to security concerns, PM Shehbaz highlighted the importance of expanding trade and cooperation in areas including IT, agriculture, health, education, and energy. He expressed a strong desire to enhance bilateral ties and emphasised that these areas of mutual interest offer significant opportunities for further collaboration.

In her remarks, Natalie Baker thanked PM Shehbaz for the warm reception and conveyed the US Administration's intention to work with Pakistan towards shared objectives. "The new administration is committed to working with Pakistan to strengthen our bilateral relationship and pursue common goals," Baker said.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi had also expressed similar sentiments during a meeting with Baker on Saturday.

Pakistan views its ties with the US as vital, with hopes of navigating shared interests in a region marked by evolving dynamics and competing priorities. The government, therefore, made an early effort to engage with the Trump administration by quietly dispatching Naqvi as a special envoy to meet members of the administration's foreign policy team and Congressional leaders.

Naqvi had said earlier this month that positive results of his visit to the US during President Donald Trump's inauguration would be witnessed very soon.

The Foreign Office had also expressed optimism last month that Pakistan's ties with the US will grow under the Trump administration, while emphatically reiterating that non-interference in internal affairs is a non-negotiable foundation of bilateral relations.

The Trump administration's approach to South Asia, shaped by its policies towards India and China, looms over Islamabad's engagement with the US.

However, former Pakistani diplomats have expressed concern that US engagement with Pakistan would remain limited under Trump's second term, citing Washington's policies toward India and China and strategic divergences that continue to strain relations between the two countries.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 19 2025

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