Washington, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a series of high-level meetings in Washington on Thursday, signaling Islamabad’s intent to deepen strategic and economic ties with the United States amid shifting global dynamics.
On the sidelines of the Board of Peace Leaders’ meeting, the Prime Minister met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. The meeting underscored renewed diplomatic momentum between Islamabad and Washington under the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Shehbaz congratulated President Trump and Secretary Rubio on the successful inaugural session of the Board of Peace, reaffirming Pakistan’s readiness to work closely with the forum, particularly in implementing the proposed Gaza Peace Plan. According to officials, both sides expressed satisfaction over the “positive trajectory” of bilateral relations and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in trade, economic development, and counterterrorism.
Diplomatic sources described the meeting as constructive, with both parties emphasizing sustained high-level engagement to navigate a rapidly evolving global environment. The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of institutional continuity and strategic dialogue to achieve shared regional and international goals.
In a separate engagement the same day, the Prime Minister met Benjamin Black, CEO of the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), along with senior members of the agency’s leadership, including Head of Investments Conor Coleman. The discussion centered on expanding economic cooperation and leveraging private-sector partnerships to drive growth.
Prime Minister Shehbaz acknowledged DFC’s portfolio of over $1 billion in Pakistan and praised its role in catalyzing joint ventures between Pakistani and American enterprises. Highlighting Pakistan’s improving macroeconomic indicators and ongoing structural reforms, he invited the DFC to scale up financing in key sectors including energy, mines and minerals, agriculture, and information technology.
Pointing to alignment in economic priorities between the two countries, the Prime Minister stressed that enhanced business-to-business engagement could unlock mutually beneficial opportunities.
He also invited the DFC to participate in the upcoming Minerals Conference in Islamabad scheduled for April, positioning Pakistan’s mineral sector as a major avenue for foreign investment.
Mr. Black, for his part, briefed the Prime Minister on the DFC’s strategic initiatives and project pipeline in Pakistan, expressing interest in expanding the agency’s footprint in the country. He noted that the DFC, particularly following its recent reauthorization, is well-positioned to support development initiatives in partner nations.
The Prime Minister extended an invitation to Mr. Black to visit Pakistan at the earliest opportunity to explore investment prospects across priority sectors.
The day’s engagements reflect Islamabad’s broader effort to recalibrate and reinforce its partnership with Washington — not only in security cooperation but increasingly through economic diplomacy and development finance — as both nations seek to adapt to a changing geopolitical landscape.
