Pakistan back in US calculus after years of isolation
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Pakistan is back in US' decision-making circles after years of isolation amid intense lobbying by Islamabad and Washington's eagerness to reciprocate, notwithstanding its robust ties with India.From being courted by the US State Department for "anti-terror" operations to praises heaped by the US Central Command head to a possible trade deal, Islamabad has been able to make inroads into the Trump administration.Field Marshal Asim Munir's lunch meeting with Trump was the icing on the cake following which New Delhi raised the issue with Washington, people familiar with the matter hinted at.With the US being deeply involved in working out trade deals globally, Pakistan has claimed that it is "very close" to an agreement that could come within days. However, the US has not presented any such timeline."I think we are very close to finalising a deal with the US. Our teams have been here in Washington, discussing, having virtual meetings and a committee has been tasked by the prime minister to fine-tune now," Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar said in a discussion at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington last week."It's not going to be months, not even weeks, I would say (just) days," he said.The US State Department and Pakistan's foreign ministry, in separate statements after secretary of state Marco Rubio's meeting with Dar, said the two stressed in their discussion the importance of expanding trade and ties in critical minerals and mining.A post by Rubio on X after the meeting and the State Department's statement mentioned no timeline for finalising a trade deal. Sources familiar with Pakistan claimed that Islamabad has the habit of making tall and unsubstantiated claims while reality could be far from the truth. Pakistan's economy is staring at a crisis and a trade deal with the US may not boost the country's economic growth, the sources said.The US Central Command based in the Gulf has historically worked closely with Pakistan since the Cold War era. And last weekend, US Central Command chief General Michael Kurilla was conferred ' Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military)' by the Pakistan President. The US general had recently backed Pakistan as a "phenomenal partner in countering terror".The honour for Kurilla coincided with the Pakistan foreign minister's visit to Washington. Rubio also thanked Dar for "Pakistan's partnership in countering terrorism and preserving regional stability". The two discussed harnessing Pakistan's critical minerals. The US is reportedly interested in acquiring antimony from Pakistan. Antimony is a metalloid used in various industries, including flame retardants, batteries, semiconductors, and even military applications.Critics claim that Pakistan has wooed the US through crypto business and the nomination of President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
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