The United States on Friday encouraged Pakistan to continue playing its role in the ongoing peace efforts with Iran to de-escalate tensions with Israel as fears mount of a broader conflict.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who conveyed his best wishes for President Donald Trump and praised his bold leadership.
Sharif also appreciated Secretary Rubio’s proactive diplomacy, saying it played a pivotal role in helping Pakistan and India achieve ceasefire and avert a major catastrophe between the two nuclear-armed states. He described President Trump’s positive statements about Pakistan as “most encouraging” for durable peace in South Asia, stressing this was only possible through meaningful dialogue between Pakistan and India. To achieve this, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness for talks with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, the Indus Water Treaty, trade and counter-terrorism.
Rubio and the prime minister also discussed the Middle East situation, particularly the Iran-Israel conflict. Sharif emphasized the need to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis through dialogue and diplomacy. He said Pakistan was ready to play a constructive role in any effort for peace in the prevailing situation, describing it as deeply worrying for both the region and the entire world.
Recalling Trump’s focus on trade, Sharif said Pakistan and the U.S. needed to work together to advance mutually beneficial cooperation across a wide range of areas, including trade, investment, energy, mining, rare earth metals, and I.T. He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to eradicate the menace of terrorism, particularly threats posed by the BLA, TTP and other militant groups.
The PMO statement said Rubio had appreciated Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts and assured Pakistan of full U.S. cooperation in countering all such threats.
It said the premier had noted with great satisfaction the “most cordial” and productive discussion between President Trump and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir in Washington earlier this week. Both Sharif and Rubio agreed talks between Pakistan and the U.S. should now be translated into tangible actions across all areas. Sharif also stressed upon the need for frequent high-level engagements to build upon this positive momentum in Pak-U.S. bilateral relations. In this regard, he reiterated an invitation to Trump to undertake an official visit to Pakistan, adding he was looking forward to meeting the U.S. president at his earliest convenience. He similarly reiterated an invitation to Rubio to visit Pakistan.
Thanking the prime minister for receiving his telephone call, Rubio shared his desire to enhance bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the U.S. across all areas of shared interest. He also appreciated Pakistan’s resolve to uphold the ceasefire with India, as well as its sustained efforts for peace in the region. He encouraged Pakistan, which enjoys excellent ties with Iran, to continue playing its role in the ongoing peace efforts with Iran.
He further noted that the U.S. was committed to working closely with Pakistan to promote regional as well as global peace and stability.