PM Shehbaz hails ‘encouraging’ first meeting with US President Trump

Islamabad/Washington: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has described his recent meeting with US President Trump as “very encouraging,” following their first formal bilateral engagement at the Oval Office.

The talks, held on Thursday at the White House, focused on regional security, counterterrorism cooperation, and avenues for future collaboration. The premier was accompanied by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, while President Trump was joined by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Speaking to the media a day later in remarks broadcast by Geo News, PM Shehbaz said the United States had expressed willingness to share expertise with Pakistan in artificial intelligence, information technology, and agriculture. He also noted that Washington was open to investment opportunities in the country.

“We have signed an MoU with one of their delegations,” he confirmed, though he did not provide further details.

Highlighting Pakistan’s economic trajectory, the premier said the country’s economy had “stabilised at the macro level” and paid tribute to overseas Pakistanis for their vital contributions. “No amount of gratitude is enough,” he remarked.

PM Shehbaz also praised Field Marshal Asim Munir for what he called “leading the nation from the front” during a four-day military standoff with India in May. “He led Pakistan with courage, boldness, and intelligence,” he said.

While Islamabad previously claimed to have downed six Indian jets during the escalation, the prime minister on Friday revised the number to seven.