ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated his administration’s desire for closer collaboration with the United States in trade, investment and counterterrorism during a meeting with a visiting American delegation attending the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum in Islamabad.
The US and Pakistan have had a complex relationship, ranging from close defense cooperation during the Cold War, particularly after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, to more strained and uneven ties in recent decades.
Despite challenges, Islamabad has sought to broaden and deepen relations with Washington. However, its ambition to pivot to an export-driven economy by expanding global trade took a hit when President Donald Trump imposed a 29 percent tariff on Pakistani goods last week.
Still, the visiting US delegation, led by Eric Meyer, Acting Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, praised Pakistan for hosting the investment forum and expressed American interest in the country’s mineral sector.
“While underscoring the significance of Pakistan-US relations not only in the bilateral context but also for regional peace and security, the Prime Minister expressed Pakistan’s desire to work with President Trump and his Administration to strengthen bilateral relations with the United States,” Sharif’s office said in a statement after the meeting.
“The Prime Minister underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation in areas of mutual interest including trade and investment, as well as counterterrorism,” it added.
Sharif also encouraged US companies to invest in Pakistan’s minerals sector, calling it a “priority area” with immense potential.
Meyer congratulated Pakistan on organizing the two-day event and acknowledged the interest of American firms in exploring investment opportunities in Pakistan’s mining industry.
Separately, the American official met Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and held detailed discussions on bilateral cooperation in counterterrorism, anti-smuggling and narcotics control.
Both sides agreed to enhance collaboration, with Naqvi highlighting that a Pakistan-US Counterterrorism Dialogue scheduled for June in Islamabad would be “an important step in strengthening joint efforts.”
Meyer condemned last month’s deadly terrorist attack on the Jaffer Express, a passenger train targeted in Balochistan province by separatist militants, and offered condolences for the loss of life.
“Pakistan cannot fight this war alone,” Naqvi said. “The international community must support it.”
He noted that, like the US, Pakistan was also grappling with the issue of illegal immigration, referring to the presence of Afghan nationals in the country whom the government is working to repatriate to the neighboring state.
Naqvi also expressed hope the American delegation’s participation in the minerals forum would serve as a milestone in advancing investment and bilateral ties.

KARACHI: Pakistan’s financially struggling national air carrier has recorded an operational profit of Rs9.3 billion ($33.48 million) for the first time in 21 years, the country’s defense minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s cash-strapped administration is looking to privatize the debt-ridden Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to raise funds and overhaul state-owned enterprises as part of a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
However, a previous attempt to offload a 60 percent stake in the airline failed last year after it drew just one bid — well below the asking price — highlighting investor concerns over the carrier’s viability. The new development could boost the government’s efforts to revive buyer interest.
“#PIACL Board today has approved its accounts FY 2024, and after 21 years, it has achieved an operating profit of PKR 9.3 billion & net profit of PKR 26.2 billion [$94.32 million] (after deferred tax adjustment),” Asif said in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
“People of #Pakistan might have lost hope on ‘once a pride of the nation’, but with rigorous steps adopted by the GoP, implementing comprehensive reforms entailing cost & workforce rationalization, routes optimization & financial discipline with balance sheet restructuring, PIA is poised to capitalize on financial performance through privatization process,” he added.
According to a statement from the airline’s spokesperson, the operational margin for 2024 exceeded 12 percent, a performance level the company said matches that of top global carriers.
PIA’s return to profitability is expected to enhance its market credibility and support the broader economy, it added.