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ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir met US President Donald J. Trump at the White House on Thursday in a high-level engagement aimed at resetting relations between the two countries and expanding cooperation on security, trade and regional peace.

The Oval Office talks marked Sharif’s first meeting with Trump since the latter’s return to power earlier this year and the first joint appearance by Pakistan’s top civilian and military leadership before a US president in years. The meeting followed a precedent-setting White House lunch between Trump and Field Marshal Munir earlier this year — conducted without civilian officials present — and which came amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, including Washington’s increasingly strained ties with New Delhi.

By pairing civilian and military leadership in the same room with the US president, Pakistan is widely seen to be signaling a more coordinated foreign policy posture aimed at strengthening its influence in wider Middle Eastern and Asian security discussions.

During what the Pakistani prime minister’s office described as a “warm and cordial” meeting, Sharif said he was confident the talks would usher in a new phase in bilateral relations.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Pakistan-US partnership will be further strengthened to the mutual benefit of both countries,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office after the meeting.

Sharif and Munir arrived at the White House shortly before 5pm on Thursday as Trump was signing executive orders and talking with reporters. The meeting between the two leaders was closed to the media, with Pakistan’s delegation leaving the White House at 618pm.

Ties have improved between the US and Pakistan as Trump’s relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of the Republican president’s closest with a world leader during his first term, has become strained over India’s increased purchases of discounted Russian oil after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. India and Pakistan are neighbors and fierce rivals.

Trump has dramatically raised tariffs on India for those oil purchases in an effort to put indirect economic pressure on Moscow.

Meanwhile, the US and Pakistan reached a landmark trade agreement in July that is expected to allow Washington to help develop Pakistan’s largely untapped oil reserves and lower tariffs for Islamabad.

During Thursday’s meeting, Sharif invited American firms to invest in Pakistan’s agriculture, IT, minerals and energy sectors.

He also praised Trump as a “man of peace” whose “bold, courageous and decisive leadership” helped facilitate a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in May, averting what Islamabad said could have been a “major catastrophe in South Asia.”

The truce, brokered with US involvement, followed a four-day war in which the two nuclear-armed neighbors shared artillery, missile and drone strikes.

Security and counterterrorism cooperation featured prominently in the talks, with Sharif thanking Trump for his public endorsement of Pakistan’s counterterrorism role and calling for expanded intelligence collaboration.

Sharif has gained favor with Trump since publicly endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Peace Prize over his role in brokering the ceasefire with India. Unlike Sharif, Modi has declined to indulge Trump’s attempt to claim credit for arranging the truce.

Pakistan did split with Trump on his decision to carry out US strikes in June on three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Pakistan said the attack “constituted a serious violation of international law” as well as on the stature of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

With inputs from AP

DUBAI: Pakistan will face India in the Asia Cup final for the first time after their bowlers made amends for poor batting to upstage Bangladesh in an 11-run victory on Thursday.

Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed grabbed 3-28 as Pakistan batters were sloppy on a sticky Dubai stadium pitch in their last Super Four match, managing a modest 135-8 in 20 overs.

But Pakistan staged a fightback through pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-17) and Haris Rauf (3-33) to keep Bangladesh down to 124-9 in 20 overs and book their place in Sunday’s showpiece against India.
Shamim Hossain top-scored for Bangladesh with a 25-ball 30 and Saif Hassan scored 18.

Pakistan’s second win in the Super Four stage set them up for a third encounter against archrivals India.

They lost both previous meetings with their neighbors so far in the tournament, with the two matches marred by a no-handshake controversy.

India players refused to shake hands with Pakistan after the first game and the two sides also did not shake hands after the second.

Earlier, Taskin was well supported by spinners Rishad Hossain (2-18) and Mahedi Hasan (2-28) to keep Pakistan in check after they were sent in to bat.

Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals as Taskin removed opener Sahibzada Farhan off the fourth ball of the match for four while Hasan had Saim Ayub for his fourth duck of the tournament.

Fakhar Zaman scored 13 and captain Salman Agha 19 as Pakistan tottered at 49-5.

It was a seventh-wicket stand of 38 between Mohammad Haris (31) and Mohammad Nawaz (25) that helped Pakistan add 52 in the last five overs.

Haris hit two boundaries and a six while Nawaz’s 15-ball knock had two sixes and a boundary.

Shaheen, dropped twice by Bangladesh fielders, hit two sixes in his rapid 13-ball 19.