A meeting not yet acknowledged by any official source is already taking shape in the minds of observers, as Pakistan's leadership appears poised to sit with an American president whose ties to Islamabad have warmed sharply in a short time. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir are reported to be preparing for talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, with floods, the fallout from an Israeli strike on Qatar, and the long quarrel with India on the table. The reported meeting belongs to a story of estrangement giving way to renewed partnership, shaped by a fragile May t
Shehbaz Sharif and Asim Munir Reportedly Set to Meet Trump on UN Sidelines
Everything rests on a single report that relies on anonymous sources.
Mark
Why does it matter that the army chief is reportedly joining the prime minister?
Mimi
Because the recent contact with Washington has run heavily through Munir. He was at the White House in June and returned in August, meeting General Dan Caine on that trip.
Luke
Careful, though. The joint appearance is reported, not confirmed. It comes from Khyber News citing sources, and neither ISPR nor the embassy has said a word.
Mark
What is reportedly on the agenda?
Mimi
Pakistan's floods, the fallout of the Israeli strike on Qatar, and tensions between India and Pakistan.
Luke
And that list is also the report's account, not an official one. We don't know what would actually be discussed or whether any outcome is planned.
Mark
How did the relationship get warmer in the first place?
Mimi
After the May conflict with India, Islamabad credited Trump for the ceasefire. Then came the June White House visit, a July trade deal, and a $500 million minerals investment.
Luke
Worth noting that Trump's claim of brokering the truce is flatly denied by India. And Pakistan's own story changed, from its DGMO approaching the Indian side to crediting Washington.
Mark
So what settles it?
Mimi
An official announcement from Pakistan's military media wing or its embassy in Washington.
Luke
Until then, it's a likely meeting, not a scheduled one.
Der Puls
- A reported September 25 meeting with Donald Trump is stirring intense anticipation, though no official word has yet landed from Pakistan's military media wing or its Washington embassy.
- Army chief Asim Munir's two back-to-back Washington trips have ignited speculation that a once-shunned Pakistan is suddenly back at the American table.
- The agenda is crowded and volatile: devastating floods, the Israeli strike on Qatar, and India-Pakistan tensions all reportedly demand attention.
- Trump's claim to have brokered the May India-Pakistan truce through tariff threats remains disputed by New Delhi, adding friction to any encounter.
- Trade deals, a $500 million critical minerals investment and oil reserve development signal that the trajectory is toward deepening economic ties, pending confirmation.
A meeting not yet acknowledged by any official source is already taking shape in the minds of observers, as Pakistan's leadership appears poised to sit with an American president whose ties to Islamabad have warmed sharply in a short time. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir are reported to be preparing for talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, with floods, the fallout from an Israeli strike on Qatar, and the long quarrel with India on the table. The reported meeting belongs to a story of estrangement giving way to renewed partnership, shaped by a fragile May truce and new trade and mineral ambitions. For now it remains a plan glimpsed through anonymous voices, awaiting the quiet confirmation that would make it real.
A meeting that has not been officially announced is already being treated as nearly certain in Pakistani media. Khyber News, citing unnamed sources, reports that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir will sit down with President Donald Trump on September 25, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
The reported agenda is wide: Pakistan's devastating floods, the fallout from the Israeli strike on Qatar, and the diplomatic strain between New Delhi and Islamabad. Neither the military's media wing nor the embassy in Washington has said anything yet, but the report carries weight because of Munir's two recent visits to Washington.
Those visits mark a sharp reversal. After years of diplomatic isolation, Trump welcomed Munir to the White House in June, and by July a trade deal had been announced along with American help for Pakistan's oil reserves. The thaw followed the May conflict with India. Trump says he brokered the truce using trade threats, a claim India firmly rejects, and Islamabad's own account has shifted over time.
For now, the September 25 meeting rests on a single anonymous report. What to watch is whether official channels confirm it and whether Munir is formally named alongside Sharif.
A meeting that has not been officially announced is already being treated as a near-certainty in Pakistani media. Khyber News, citing unnamed sources, reports that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, the chief of army staff, will sit down with US President Donald Trump on September 25. The venue would be the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
According to that report, the agenda is broad. It reportedly includes Pakistan's devastating floods and the fallout from the Israeli strike on Qatar. The diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad are also expected to come up, the report says.
Neither Inter-Services Public Relations, the military's media wing, nor Pakistan's embassy in Washington has said anything about the trip so far. The report does arrive after two back-to-back visits to Washington by Munir, which is part of why it is being taken seriously.
Those visits mark a sharp change. After years in which Pakistan was shunned diplomatically, Trump welcomed Munir to the White House in June. The two discussed trade, economic development and cryptocurrency. In July, the Trump administration announced a trade deal with Pakistan and said Washington would help Islamabad develop what it called its massive oil reserves.
The thaw followed the military conflict between India and Pakistan in May. Trump has said he helped broker a truce between the two nuclear-armed neighbours by using trade and tariff threats. India vehemently denies that claim. Islamabad's own account shifted along the way: it first said the ceasefire came after its Director General of Military Operations approached his Indian counterpart with a proposal, but it later credited Washington with the breakthrough.
Munir returned to Washington in August, this time for the retirement ceremony of outgoing Centcom Commander General Michael E Kurilla and the change of command ceremony for Admiral Brad Cooper. On the same trip he met General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
More recently, Islamabad secured a $500 million investment from the United States, focused on Pakistan's critical minerals sector.
For now, everything about the September 25 meeting rests on a single report that relies on anonymous sources. What to watch is whether ISPR or the embassy in Washington confirms the plan, and whether Munir is formally listed alongside Sharif.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
Pakistani leaders will reportedly hold talks with Trump on September 25, with an agenda spanning floods, the Israeli strike on Qatar and India-Pakistan tensions.— Khyber News, citing unnamed sources
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