12 hours ago
Last Updated:July 26, 2025, 13:48 IST
Ishaq Dar also brought up the Kashmir issue in his meeting with Rubio, calling it the core dispute between India and Pakistan and urging its resolution as per UN resolutions
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. (Photo: X/ @SecRubio)
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington to discuss bilateral relations, trade cooperation, regional stability, counterterrorism, and global peace initiatives.
According to details accessed by CNN-News18, the two leaders discussed the broad contours of Pakistan-US ties and stressed the importance of close cooperation between the two countries to ensure peace and stability in the region.
The US conveyed interest in expanding bilateral trade, with Rubio stating that Washington wants to enhance collaboration with Pakistan in the critical minerals sector.
The Pakistani side highlighted the importance of strengthening economic ties, particularly through increased trade and investment linkages. Potential areas of cooperation identified by Pakistan included information technology, artificial intelligence, crypto, and minerals, at both the government and private-sector levels.
Dar appreciated what he described as the pivotal role played by US President Donald Trump and Secretary Rubio in de-escalating tensions between Pakistan and India by facilitating a ceasefire and averting a broader conflict between the two nuclear-armed states. However, India has consistently maintained that the ceasefire understanding was a bilateral decision between the Indian and Pakistani military leaderships, with no third-party involvement.
The Kashmir issue also featured in the discussion. Dar referred to Jammu and Kashmir as the core issue between India and Pakistan, and called for its resolution in accordance with UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. India has repeatedly rejected any attempt to internationalise the matter, asserting that it remains an internal issue.
The meeting also included a briefing from the Pakistani side on its recent presidency of the United Nations Security Council. Dar highlighted several initiatives undertaken during the term, including the consensus adoption of Resolution 2788 on the “Peaceful Settlement of Disputes." The move was positioned by Pakistan as part of its broader diplomatic engagement on global conflict resolution, even as India has consistently opposed any attempt to bring bilateral disputes, particularly Kashmir, to multilateral platforms like the UN.
On the security front, Pakistan reiterated its role as a frontline state in the global war on terror, referring to its past contributions and sacrifices. The emphasis on counterterrorism cooperation comes amid continued international scrutiny of safe havens for extremist elements in the region, a concern India has repeatedly flagged. Pakistan stressed that deeper cooperation with the US on counterterror efforts would be mutually beneficial and support regional stability.
The conversation also extended to broader international concerns, including peacebuilding efforts and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Pakistan expressed its willingness to contribute constructively to global peace initiatives, while both sides discussed the importance of coordinated international action in the Middle East.
Rubio acknowledged what he described as a positive trajectory in Pakistan-US relations and conveyed Washington’s interest in expanding collaboration, particularly in the domains of economic development, trade, investment, and counterterrorism. He also appreciated Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining the ceasefire understanding with India and its efforts to promote regional peace and stability, even though Pakistan broke the truce shortly after Trump publicly announced the ceasefire on social media.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a long-term partnership and agreed to continue working together on bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual concern.
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
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