U.S. and Pakistan deepen ties with focus on stability

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday praised Pakistan's role in promoting regional stability and discussed deeper cooperation on counterterrorism, trade, and critical minerals during a meeting in Washington with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.

“The two also discussed prospects for deepening bilateral counterterrorism cooperation, including countering ISIS-K, and the upcoming U.S.-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue in Islamabad this August,” the State Department said in the readout of the meeting.

Rubio emphasized the importance of strengthening trade relations and exploring joint opportunities in the critical minerals and mining sectors.

Ishaq Dar later described the meeting in a post on X as a “comprehensive discussion on the full spectrum of bilateral relations.” He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a long-term partnership with the U.S., highlighting mutual interests in economic, trade, investment, and cooperation.

Ishaq Dar also said they exchanged views on major regional and global issues. He thanked the U.S. for its 'constructive role' in helping facilitate the Pakistan-India ceasefire earlier in May. 

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