WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, with the 2 sides discussing cooperation in crucial minerals, vitality, counter-terrorism and prospects for elevated American funding, in accordance with a State Division assertion.
Earlier Thursday, the Pakistani chief additionally addressed the inaugural session of a Gaza peace discussion board led by President Donald Trump.
The State Division mentioned the US secretary thanked Pakistan for supporting Trump’s Gaza peace plan and for becoming a member of the primary assembly of the “Board of Peace” as a founding member. He additionally provided condolences over the Jan 31 assaults in Balochistan and the Feb 6 bombing in Islamabad and reaffirmed the significance of continued partnership in counter-terrorism.
The talks lined Pakistan’s participation within the latest Crucial Minerals Ministerial in Washington, with the US welcoming Islamabad’s engagement and discussing cooperation in growing Pakistan’s vitality and mineral assets, in addition to business alternatives for American corporations.
Earlier, addressing the inaugural assembly of the Board of Peace — formally established final month after being proposed in September 2025 — Prime Minister Shehbaz careworn the necessity for an finish to ceasefire violations in Gaza, calling it “crucial” for reaching sturdy peace within the war-torn territory.
“The folks of Palestine have lengthy endured the unlawful occupation and immense struggling. And, to realize long-lasting peace, it is vitally necessary that ceasefire violations should finish to protect life and advance reconstruction efforts,” he mentioned, including that Palestinians should train full management over their land and future in keeping with UN Safety Council resolutions.
Praising Trump’s function, the prime minister mentioned that by means of his “untiring help and nice efforts, long-lasting peace in Gaza might be achieved” and that it might stay his legacy.
Beneath its constitution, the US authorities serves because the board’s depository and the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace has been designated as its headquarters.
A UN Safety Council decision adopted in mid-November final yr approved the board, together with cooperating states, to assist set up an Worldwide Stabilization Power in Gaza following the October ceasefire below a Trump-backed plan accepted by Israel and Hamas. The truce, nevertheless, has remained fragile with repeated violations.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Shehbaz additionally credited Trump with defusing the four-day Pakistan-India disaster in Might 2025, saying his intervention had “probably averted the lack of tens of hundreds of thousands of individuals” and describing him as “a person of peace” and “a savior of South Asia”.
Talking earlier than the Pakistani chief, Trump recalled his contacts with each Islamabad and New Delhi in the course of the battle, saying he had warned the 2 nations that the US would halt commerce negotiations and will impose 200 % tariffs if the combating continued.
“I referred to as them and mentioned I’m not doing commerce offers with you two guys in case you do not settle this up,” he mentioned, including that the specter of financial penalties helped carry a few de-escalation.
Trump additionally referred to his assembly with Prime Minister Shehbaz and Chief of Protection Forces Area Marshal Asim Munir, and praised the Pakistani chief for publicly acknowledging his function in stopping the battle.
The prime minister, in flip, praised what he referred to as Trump’s “daring diplomacy” and “dynamic management” in resolving worldwide crises and bringing calm to international hotspots.
The Washington engagements underscored Pakistan’s effort to increase financial cooperation with the US — significantly within the vitality and minerals sectors — whereas aligning with a US-led diplomatic initiative on Gaza and highlighting Trump’s mediation function in South Asia.
PM Shehbaz meets global leaders
The prime minister also held informal meetings in Washington with global leaders who had arrived to attend the inaugural session of the Board of Peace, said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The premier met with the King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto.
The statement added that “important regional and global issues” were discussed during the meeting.
“Pakistan’s participation in the Board of Peace reflects its efforts towards establishing peace in Gaza, reconstruction initiatives, global peace, and the growing success of Pakistan’s diplomatic policy,” said the statement.
