Washington, United States – Pakistan has called for the early initiation of a high-level economic dialogue with the United States, signalling a renewed push to recalibrate bilateral relations with a stronger focus on trade, investment and geoeconomic cooperation, while also drawing attention to pressing regional security challenges.
The call was made during a meeting between Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, and Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Brian Mast, where Islamabad emphasised the need to broaden the scope of Pakistan-US engagement beyond traditional security cooperation.
According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan proposed a comprehensive economic dialogue covering key sectors such as energy, defence collaboration, critical minerals, information technology, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. The ambassador highlighted Pakistan’s capacity to offer cost-effective and skilled human capital, as well as competitive industrial and manufacturing capabilities that could complement US market needs.
Pakistan also underlined its intent to attract long-term American investment, stressing that sustained economic engagement could help stabilise the country’s economy, boost exports and strengthen private-sector-led growth. Officials noted that Islamabad views economic diplomacy as a central pillar of its foreign policy going forward.
Alongside economic issues, Pakistan raised serious regional security concerns, particularly the resurgence of terrorism linked to militant sanctuaries operating from neighbouring Afghanistan. Pakistani officials conveyed that the spillover of insecurity poses a direct threat to national stability and regional peace, urging continued international cooperation to address the challenge.
The issue of illicit weapons left behind after the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan was also discussed, with Pakistan expressing concern over their misuse by militant groups operating in the region. Islamabad reiterated that counter-terrorism cooperation remains a shared interest for both countries.
During the interaction, Pakistan also extended an invitation to US lawmakers to visit Islamabad, aiming to strengthen parliamentary-to-parliamentary engagement and foster broader understanding at the legislative level.
Observers say Pakistan’s outreach reflects a strategic shift towards geoeconomics, as Islamabad seeks to balance security cooperation with expanded economic ties in an evolving global and regional landscape. If pursued consistently, the proposed dialogue could open new avenues for cooperation while addressing shared security priorities.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.