Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif holds informal talks with Donald Trump at UN

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif met Donald Trump on UNGA sidelines in New York. Joined by Ishaq Dar, Sharif engaged in informal talks during Arab Islamic leaders’ meet.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The meeting took place during a special gathering of Arab Islamic leaders, hosted by President Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif engaged in an “informal conversation” with Trump following the conclusion of the summit.

Sharif was joined by his deputy and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, as well as senior members of the Pakistani delegation. While some media outlets earlier speculated that Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir might also attend, he was not present at the meeting.

This interaction marks another step in the warming of U.S.-Pakistan relations, which had seen years of diplomatic distance. Ties improved earlier this year when Trump claimed credit for helping de-escalate tensions between Pakistan and India, a claim India disputed. Washington and Islamabad have since expanded talks on trade, economic development, and energy cooperation.

In recent months, Pakistan has also welcomed U.S. investments, including a $500 million commitment in the critical minerals sector, underlining a renewed phase of engagement between the two countries.

The brief but symbolic exchange between Sharif and Trump at the UN highlights Islamabad’s efforts to strengthen ties with Washington amid regional challenges and global negotiations.