Defence minister says national interest will guide any future decisions
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday that the United States has made no demands from Pakistan following the recent positive shift in their bilateral relations.
Speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, Asif said the changing regional situation had led to a “positive turn” in Pakistan-US ties.
He added that Pakistan would review any possible requests from Washington with caution. “If any demand does come, we will decide based on our national interest,” he said.
The statement came a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir met US President Donald Trump at the Oval Office. During the meeting, the prime minister expressed his “deep admiration” for Trump, calling him a “man of peace” working sincerely to end global conflicts.
Both leaders discussed regional security and counter-terrorism cooperation. PM Shehbaz thanked President Trump for supporting Pakistan’s role in counter-terrorism and emphasised the need to further strengthen intelligence and security cooperation.
Images from the White House showed PM Shehbaz, COAS Munir, and President Trump in friendly discussions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance were also present.
In his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, PM Shehbaz praised Trump’s efforts for brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India after a four-day conflict in May.
He said Trump’s intervention helped prevent a larger and more dangerous war in South Asia. “Had he not acted quickly and decisively, the consequences could have been disastrous,” the premier said.
PM Shehbaz also announced that Pakistan has nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, recognising his “remarkable contribution to promoting peace in the region.”
Under President Trump, US-Pakistan relations have improved after years of Washington aligning more closely with India to counter China’s influence in Asia.
In recent months, both countries have increased high-level civil and military engagements and finalised a major trade deal, highlighting stronger bilateral ties.
On July 31, the United States and Pakistan signed a trade agreement with a 19% tariff rate imposed by Washington, while a trade deal with India remains pending.
