ISLAMABAD: Bilateral relationship between Washington and Islamabad is “stronger than it’s ever been in the history,” the United States’ top envoy to Pakistan said in a podcast with a local media outlet, hoping that it will expand beyond traditional cooperation to include trade and investment.
Relations between Pakistan and the US have witnessed a renewed momentum, particularly due to Islamabad’s diplomatic push that led to an interim peace deal between Washington and Tehran to end their war, which began in late Feb.
President Donald Trump and other officials have repeatedly lauded Pakistan’s mediatory role during the crisis, with both sides pursuing a renewed, future-oriented partnership that emphasizes bilateral trade, energy security and regional stability.
In a podcast with Pakistan Observer, US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker said both countries have a long history, with the US being one of the first countries to recognize Pakistan when it achieved independence.
“Right now, of course, we enjoy a very high level of engagement between President Trump and Prime Minister [Shehbaz] Sharif and Field Marshal [Asim] Munir,” she said.
“At the leadership level, our relationship is very strong. I would say stronger than it’s ever been in the history of our nations.”
Baker credited Pakistan for playing a “historic role in bringing the United States and Iran into the same room.”
“And now we have an agreement announced that Pakistan’s leaders have helped to forge and facilitate,” she said.
“So, I would say the role has been exemplary. Pakistan stood up to the task when there was a need. This was a role that only Pakistan could play, I would say, because of the strong relationships that leadership had with the United States and with Iran, and also with a long history with each of these countries and cultural ties as well.”
The interim agreement, known as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was reached in mid-June, included a 60-day ceasefire, the reopening of the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, a timetable for a final deal on the war and Iran’s nuclear program, and immediately allowed Tehran to sell its oil freely in a major concession from Washington.
“Pakistan’s leadership has taken a personal interest in forging a solution with back-and-forth delegations that we’ve seen,” Baker said.
“[Pakistani] leadership traveled to Tehran, whether it was the Field Marshal, the Deputy Prime Minister, who’s the Foreign Minister, or the Minister of Interior, or the Prime Minister himself. We’ve seen that personal commitment, and it’s been recognized at the highest levels of my government.”
She expressed hope that Washington and Islamabad will continue to build on “this very strong foundation.”
“We will continue to expand trade and investment. We’ll have more American companies come here. We’ll attract more Pakistani investment to the United States. We’ll build together,” she said.
“President Trump has a number of key priorities for his time as president for the United States. One of those is energy security, and another is critical minerals and mining development. These are areas where our interests are aligned. So, for both of our nations and both of our people, these are goals that we’ll achieve together.”
