Trump showers praise on Shehbaz, COAS in historic White House meeting

ISLAMABAD/NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump Thursday praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, calling both great leaders, as the premier and the COAS held a historic meeting with him.

The US president noted that while Field Marshal Asim Munir possesses an outstanding personality, Shehbaz Sharif is also a remarkable individual, Geo News reported.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by a Pakistani delegation, arrived in Washington, DC to meet US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. He was received with a red-carpet welcome at Andrews Air Base by a senior officer of the US Air Force. From the airbase, his motorcade departed under American security escort for the White House. Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir was accompanying the Prime Minister to the meeting, the Media Wing of the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump said on Thursday he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, rejecting calls from some far-right politicians in Israel who want to extend sovereignty over the area. The US president addressed the topic after what he described as a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss resolving the Gaza conflict. “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Netanyahu has faced some pressure from right-wing allies to annex the West Bank, prompting alarm among Muslim leaders, some of whom, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, met on Tuesday with Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. “I’m not allowing Israel to annex the West Bank. There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now,” he said. Israel captured the West Bank in a 1967 war. The Palestinians have long sought it for a future state, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. About 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in a move not recognised by most countries.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking via video link from New York at a signing ceremony in Islamabad earlier in the day, inaugurated Pakistan’s first comprehensive energy circular debt elimination plan on Thursday describing it as a “historic breakthrough” that paves the way for sustainable reforms in the power sector.

The prime minister commended the collaborative efforts of government organisations, financial institutions and a dedicated task force in finalising the plan. “This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that circular debt, which was swallowing our national resources, has been addressed in a structured and effective manner,” he stated. Shehbaz acknowledged the contributions of former caretaker energy minister Mohammad Ali, Power Secretary Rashid Mahmood Langrial, and Task Force head Lt Gen (retd) Zafar Iqbal for their “tireless negotiations with Independent Power Producers (IPPs).” He also praised the financial sector, including Punjab Bank President Zafar Masud and teams from Meezan Bank and Habib Bank, for their pivotal role, alongside the State Bank of Pakistan and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). He also highlighted the “behind-thescenes support” of Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, calling the initiative “Team Pakistan’s success.” He noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had praised Pakistan’s reform progress during his meeting with its managing director a day earlier. The Rs1.225 trillion Circular Debt Financing Facility, arranged with a consortium of 18 banks, features financing at KIBOR minus 0.9pc, a six-year repayment period, and utilisation of the existing Debt Service Surcharge for repayment. The plan aims to retire Power Holding Limited (PHL) debt and clear dues to IPPs, saving consumers an estimated Rs 350 billion. Separately, in a meeting with Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly, Shehbaz reaffirmed polio eradication as a top priority and appreciated the foundation’s support in immunisation, nutrition, and flood relief efforts.

He also met Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, emphasising Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties through enhanced trade and regional connectivity.