Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, with the two sides discussing cooperation in critical minerals and energy, counter-terrorism coordination and prospects for expanded American investment in Pakistan, according to a US State Department statement.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of President Donald Trump’s inaugural “Board of Peace” gathering on Gaza, came as the Trump administration signalled it wants to bind Islamabad closer through commercial engagement even as it underscores security cooperation amid a fresh wave of militant violence in Pakistan.
In its readout, the State Department said Secretary Rubio thanked Pakistan for supporting Trump’s Gaza peace plan and for joining the Board of Peace as a founding member. Rubio also offered condolences over the Jan 31 attacks in Balochistan and the Feb 6 bombing in Islamabad, and “reaffirmed the importance of continued partnership” in counter-terrorism. Sharif reciprocated by describing Pakistan as a stalwart counter-terrorism ally. Officials say both governments agreed to maintain high-level dialogues on security and to bolster intelligence sharing against extremism.
Separately, Pakistan’s Press Information Department said the prime minister congratulated President Trump and Secretary Rubio on what it called a “successful” inaugural Board of Peace meeting and reiterated Islamabad’s readiness to work with the forum on implementing the Gaza plan. The PID statement added that both sides “underscored the importance of Pakistan-US strategic relations”, expressed satisfaction over the “positive trajectory” of ties, and agreed to enhance trade, economic activity and counter-terror cooperation.
Rubio later echoed the message in a post on X, saying he appreciated Pakistan’s support for the Gaza plan and its participation in the new forum. “In our meeting, we discussed the importance of our strategic relationship on critical minerals development and counterterrorism,” he wrote, to which Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar responded by stressing Pakistan valued its “longstanding relationship” with Washington and wanted to deepen economic and security cooperation.
Energy and mining were key topics in the meeting. The State Department statement noted discussion of Pakistan’s participation in the recent Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, with the US side welcoming Islamabad’s engagement and exploring “commercial opportunities” for American companies as Pakistan seeks outside capital and technology for its resource sector.
According to sources, officials pointed out that the country possesses significant untapped reserves, including in areas like Reko Diq and other mineral-rich regions, making it a potential key supplier of strategic minerals.
Islamabad has even fast-tracked American private sector investment in the Reko Diq project and other mining ventures, part of an effort to move the bilateral relationship from aid toward strategic trade.
Discussions also touched on Pakistan’s power sector and renewable energy, where US companies are eyeing projects to help close Pakistan’s chronic electricity gaps.
Sources in the diplomatic circles point to a shifting trajectory of Pakistan’s foreign policy under Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who seems to have prioritised geoeconomics over the traditional realms of security-centric approaches.
Pakistan’s pitch on investment did not end there. After the Board of Peace summit, he met with US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) CEO Benjamin Black to press for more US investment in Pakistan. Sharif praised DFC’s existing portfolio (over $1 billion in Pakistan) and invited Black to Islamabad to explore financing in energy, mining, agriculture and technology projects. He also encouraged the DFC to participate in the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum in April, citing the sector’s high potential, where Pakistan has invited both China and the United States as it seeks foreign investment for an estimated $6-8 billion in annual mineral export potential. Black, in turn, briefed the prime minister on the agency’s strategic initiatives and project pipeline in Pakistan, while expressing a keen interest in enhancing DFC’s footprint in Pakistan, the post said
The Washington visit also highlighted Pakistan’s role in the Gaza ceasefire initiative. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Sharif addressed the Board of Peace meeting, reaffirming Islamabad’s long-standing support for the Palestinian cause. He urged that “ceasefire violations must end to preserve life and advance reconstruction efforts,” noting that Palestinians have endured “illegal occupation and immense suffering”. Sharif welcomed international efforts for a “credible pathway” to Palestinian self-determination, and said long-lasting peace would be a historic legacy of such diplomacy.
In a moment likely to resonate beyond Gaza diplomacy, Prime Minister Sharif used his remarks to credit President Trump with defusing the four-day Pakistan-India crisis in May 2025, saying the US intervention had “potentially averted the loss of tens of millions of people”. Speaking immediately before the Pakistani leader, President Trump described his contacts with Islamabad and New Delhi during the standoff and said he had threatened to halt trade negotiations and impose “200 per cent tariffs” if the fighting did not stop. Trump also referred to his meeting with Prime Minister Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, praising Pakistan’s public acknowledgement of his role in de-escalation.
The prime minister used the Washington platform to engage leaders from Central Asia and the wider Muslim world, meeting 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.
Observers in Washington say these high-profile meetings signal an evolving Pakistan-US relationship under the Trump administration, where Islamabad is keen to attract investment, while Washington is keen to bind Pakistan closer through trade and development. Considering how US officials have already signalled that deepening ties with Islamabad is also driven by concern over escalating tensions with Iran, Washington increasingly seeks reliable regional partners to prevent wider conflict and manage security dynamics in and around the Middle East.