‘It’s Pragmatic, Not Strategic’: US, Pakistan Reset Ties
Diplomats emphasize a practical realignment focused on trade and diplomacy rather than forming a formal alliance
[Islamabad] Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone on June 26, agreeing to strengthen bilateral ties. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said the two leaders would focus on expanding trade and broader economic cooperation between Pakistan and the United States.
During the call, Sharif said Islamabad would continue to play a “constructive role” in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East after the recent Iran-Israel conflict. He also thanked President Donald Trump and Rubio for facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India, according to the statement. Sharif noted that Pakistan has remained actively engaged with Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, and Qatar to help de-escalate tensions in the region.
Rubio responded that the United States hopes to work closely with Pakistan to advance regional stability. The conversation took place as both capitals seek to revive economic ties in response to shifting geopolitical alignments.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance later announced that trade talks with the United States will conclude next week after a meeting between Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. Negotiators aim to realign economic relations and help Pakistan avoid the 29% tariff currently applied to American exports. To that end, Islamabad has offered to boost imports of US crude oil and to open its mining sector to additional American investment.
Earlier this week, the two governments co-hosted a webinar promoting investment in Pakistan’s mineral resources, including the $7 billion Reko Diq copper-gold project. Relations have improved markedly in recent months, marked by increased diplomatic engagement and renewed security cooperation. The momentum began when Pakistan handed over a key suspect in the Kabul airport bombing to US authorities, an act widely viewed as a gesture of trust.
A turning point came during the recent four-day India-Pakistan flare-up, when President Trump intervened diplomatically to help broker a ceasefire. Pakistan publicly praised the American president and nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of what it called “bold and effective diplomacy.” New Delhi, by contrast, has downplayed Washington’s involvement and denied any US role in the ceasefire agreement.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
Despite the competing narratives, officials on both sides say they want to deepen economic, political, and strategic ties. Further evidence of warmer relations surfaced during the Iran-Israel conflict, when President Trump invited Pakistan’s chief of army staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to a White House luncheon. Behind closed doors, the American president reportedly met Munir along with senior generals and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Munir was accompanied by General Asim Malik, director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence, and the national security adviser; the meeting was closed to the press.
For decades, the United States and Pakistan have managed a relationship shaped by strategic necessity—often cooperative, frequently mistrustful. Recent meetings and statements suggest both sides are exploring cooperation beyond counterterrorism, aiming for a broader partnership. With instability in Afghanistan, persistent Iran-Israel tensions, and China’s rising influence, closer US-Pakistan engagement could alter regional power dynamics.
In interviews with The Media Line, several analysts weighed the implications. Shabana Fayyaz, former chair of the Department of Defense and Strategic Studies at Quaid-i-Azam University, said, “Pakistan-US relations remain complex and multi-faceted, sustained despite differing strategic goals.” She argued that Pakistan’s transfer of a bombing suspect demonstrates Islamabad’s longstanding cooperation with Washington, and that the War on Terror highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to counterterrorism efforts.
While praising the American president’s mediation, Fayyaz warned that it does not diminish China’s growing influence over Pakistan. She urged Washington not to view South Asia solely through the prism of its rivalry with Beijing. Lasting peace, she said, will require proactive diplomacy and coalition-building rather than transactional deals. Referring to Pakistan’s Nobel nomination for President Trump, Fayyaz said it shows official appreciation for his role in brokering the India-Pakistan ceasefire.
Regarding Iran, she questioned how much Pakistan can realistically help the United States curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions or pursue regime change. She warned that providing logistical support for US action against Iran could provoke significant backlash inside Pakistan.
Azeem Khalid, a New York-based specialist in Chinese affairs, offered a different perspective. He said limited US-Pakistan cooperation actually serves China’s interests by reinforcing multipolarity and restraining India’s ambitions. According to Khalid, India’s hegemonic posture has weakened in the wake of recent events. “As a result,” he observed, “India’s longstanding aspiration to act as the regional ‘policeman’ in the Indian Ocean has suffered a notable rhetorical and diplomatic setback.” He added that talk of a new alliance is overstated, and that a single luncheon does not signal a major strategic change.
Tehmina Aslam Ranjha, a Lahore-based national-security expert, told The Media Line, “Pakistan-US relations have become transactional and need-oriented, primarily from the US side, that is, when the US requires Pakistan, it seeks its cooperation.” She contended that Islamabad seeks financial or military assistance from either China or the United States whenever possible.
Discussing regional dynamics, Ranjha said US pressure pushed Pakistan away from energy cooperation with Iran, including the aborted Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline. Because Tehran sees Islamabad as operating under American influence, she doubted Pakistan could serve as a bridge between Washington and Tehran. In response to a question, Ranjha said, “Pakistan remains relevant to US interests in Afghanistan, particularly in counterterrorism.” She continued, “Pakistan fights terrorism for its own survival, not for external validation. If it aligns with US interests, that’s an added outcome, not the objective.” She concluded, “Pakistan will continue this fight, with or without US recognition, as it has already cost countless civilian and military lives.”
Ashfaq Ahmed, chair of Politics and International Relations at the University of Sargodha, added, “President Trump’s involvement in the recent crisis is merely tactical and issue-specific. Calling it a new strategic alliance is a strategic mistake and utter ignorance.” Ahmed noted that Washington continues to deepen ties with New Delhi through academic exchange and strategic cooperation, viewing India as a counterweight to China. In contrast, he said, Pakistan ranks low on the American strategic agenda and receives little institutional engagement.
Ahmed pointed out that China’s influence is expanding in Pakistan through Confucius Institutes, arms sales, and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. He added that recent diplomatic contacts may simply create the impression of a closer partnership. “Pakistan’s diplomatic circles have lost the pro-Pakistan US lobby in Washington,” Ahmed said. “Pakistan-US proximity and an enlarged Gulf are the normal state of affairs. It’s a mere temporary realignment, not a close strategic partnership.”
