Shehbaz Sharif Expected to Meet President Trump at UNGA; Regional and Trade Issues on Agenda

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to hold a meeting with United States President Donald Trump on September 25, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Geo TV reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed diplomatic sources.

The high-level engagement, which is likely to be attended by Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has reportedly received support from both Qatar and Saudi Arabia. According to the report, the agenda may cover a broad spectrum of issues, including Pakistan’s recent floods, regional tensions with India, and the impact of Israeli strikes on Qatar.

The development follows General Asim Munir’s rare one-on-one meeting with President Trump earlier this year in June, where the two leaders discussed regional security, counter-terrorism efforts, and avenues for strengthening defence cooperation. That meeting came in the aftermath of Pakistan’s armed clash with India in May.

Pakistan’s embassy in Washington has so far refrained from commenting on or denying reports of the proposed Sharif-Trump dialogue. The speculation comes amid signs of a gradual warming in Pakistan-US relations. On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reportedly spoke by telephone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties across multiple sectors, following up on their July meeting that produced a trade agreement aimed at enhancing market access, attracting investment, and reducing tariffs—particularly on Pakistani exports to the US. The pact also outlined new energy cooperation, including initiatives to develop Pakistan’s oil reserves.

The expected meeting between Sharif and Trump also coincides with a fresh round of trade negotiations between the United States and India. In New Delhi, senior officials from both sides began discussions on Tuesday morning, led by Brendan Lynch, the US Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia. Parallel to the talks, US defence officials and Boeing executives are also scheduled to visit India this week to finalize a potential $4 billion deal for naval surveillance aircraft.

India’s chief negotiator, Rajesh Agrawal, said the current talks would be pivotal in charting the future course of India-US trade relations. The negotiations follow President Trump’s decision last month to impose a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports—the steepest in Asia—as a penalty for New Delhi’s trade restrictions and continued purchases of Russian oil.

While Washington has signaled renewed engagement, Indian officials are approaching the discussions with cautious optimism. According to Bloomberg, New Delhi has emphasized that further progress will be required to reset ties, even as both countries remain committed to finalizing a broader bilateral agreement by the fall.