This Oval Office session which is closed to the press marked Sharifโs first meeting with a US president. Moreover, it was also historic for Pakistan as no prime minister has entered the Oval Office since Imran Khanโs visit in July 2019.
US President Donald Trump held closed-door talks with Pakistan PM Sharif and Army chief Munir on Thursday in first Oval visit since 2019, highlighting the recent warming of ties between Washington and the South Asian nation.
Sharif arrived just before 5 pm, pulling up to the West Executive Avenue entrance where senior administration officials received him. With him was Pakistanโs army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
No Pak PM entered Oval Office since Imran Khanโs visit in 2019
This Oval Office session which is closed to the press marked Sharifโs first meeting with a US president. Moreover, it was also historic for Pakistan as no prime minister has entered the Oval Office since Imran Khanโs visit in July 2019.
Sharif was among the top officials from eight Arab or Muslim countries who met with Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week to discuss strategy on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the US and Pakistan reached a trade agreement in July that is expected to allow Washington to help develop Pakistan’s largely untapped oil reserves and lower tariffs for Islamabad.
Hereโs how Sharif gained favour with Trump recently
Sharif has gained favour with Trump since publicly endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Peace Prize for his administration’s efforts this year at reducing tensions between Pakistan and India. India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire in May after US-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades.
Trump is hopeful about trade deal with India
Amid these developments, Trump last week offered hope that trade issues with India could be resolved. “I am pleased to announce that India, and the United States of America, are continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!”
Trump hit India with tariffs up to 50 per cent last month after imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on the country related to its purchases of Russian oil, which helps Moscow pay for its war in Ukraine. Trump hosted Modi for White House talks in February.
With inputs from APย ย
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