Shehbaz-Trump meeting likely on 25th

WASHINGTON: A potential meeting is set between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Donald Trump. They could have in-depth talks on September 25 during the UN General Assembly.

Diplomatic sources told this correspondent that the meeting is being shaped after Pakistan’s extensive consultations with Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and along with the delegation, including Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, will arrive in New York for participation in the UN General Assembly session.

Ahead of the possible meeting, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have been consulted with in light of Israel attack on Qatar and related developments, which would be an important component of the agenda for the Washington meeting. The Sharif-Trump meeting is likely to be held in Washington on September 25. Diplomatic sources told this correspondent that Riyadh and Doha are supportive of this Trump-Sharif meeting. Besides the Middle East situation, the devastating floods in Pakistan, and other regional issues will likely form the meeting’s agenda. Both the Pakistan’s mission to the UN and the embassy in Washington are tight lipped over the prospects of the high level meeting.

Pakistan’s history with the US shows a pattern of being positioned as a key ally in global affairs with promises of support, only to face temporary gains and long-term challenges. From hosting US U-2 spy flights at Badaber, which provoked Soviet hostility, to acting as a conduit for US-China relations via Kissinger’s secret negotiations, and supporting the Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan conflict, Pakistan has repeatedly borne the cost of these roles.

Similarly, during the Iran-Iraq war, Pakistan was pushed to represent the OIC at the UN. Despite these efforts, US indifference afterward left Pakistan to deal with the resulting challenges alone. Today, after America’s long war in Afghanistan, Pakistan is grappling with the bitter legacy of front-line roles and their negative outcomes. However, this time the challenge is shaped by the security of Muslim countries and the expanding conflict in the Middle East. In recent days, the United States has once again begun referring to Pakistan as a “strong ally,” signalling the start of a new narrative.