Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar of Pakistan held a meeting with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the inaugural gathering of the Board of Peace Leaders in Washington. The meeting, as reported by a press release from the Prime Minister's Office on Friday, saw the Prime Minister expressing readiness to collaborate with the Board of Peace for the Gaza Peace Plan implementation.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz congratulated President Donald Trump and Secretary Rubio on the successful inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace. Both sides highlighted the significance of Pakistan-US strategic relations and expressed contentment with the positive direction of their partnership under President Trump's leadership. They agreed to boost bilateral trade, economic activities, and cooperation in combating terrorism.
Secretary Rubio, in a post on social media, acknowledged the meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz and appreciated Pakistan's continuous support for President Trump's Peace Plan for Gaza. He also thanked Pakistan for participating in the Board of Peace as a founding member. The press release from the US State Department mentioned Secretary Rubio expressing gratitude for Pakistan's support for the Peace Plan and its participation in the Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington. He extended condolences for recent terrorist attacks in Balochistan and Islamabad, emphasizing the importance of the ongoing partnership in counterterrorism efforts.
Foreign Minister Dar responded to Secretary Rubio's post on social media, expressing Pakistan's appreciation for the discussions on peace advancement, counterterrorism, and expansion of economic and trade ties. He emphasized the value of the long-standing relationship between Pakistan and the United States and expressed eagerness to strengthen the strategic partnership further across various shared interests.
