Latest news with #USPakistanRelations
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Thawing of relations between Pakistan and US raises eyebrows in India
After years in the diplomatic deep freeze, US-Pakistan ties appear to be quickly thawing, with Donald Trump's effusive welcome for Pakistan's army chief, Gen Asim Munir, signalling a possible major reset. Once snubbed so badly that Imran Khan, a former prime minister, rode the New York subway to the UN general assembly in 2019 unescorted, Pakistan is now enjoying top-level access in Washington, including a White House lunch for Munir on Wednesday and meetings with top national security officials. Trump's perceived friendliness with Munir, coupled with what India considers to be a glossing over of Pakistan's record on terrorism, has raised Indian eyebrows, especially amid sensitive trade negotiations with the US. In a phone call with Trump on Tuesday, the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, strongly rejected the US president's repeated claims that he personally brokered peace in the four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in May. The next day, while calling Modi a 'fantastic man', Trump described Munir as 'extremely influential' in halting the brief but intense war. 'I love Pakistan,' Trump said, before repeating: 'I stopped the war between Pakistan and India.' In the phone call, Modi made it 'absolutely clear', India's foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, said, that hostilities ceased only after Pakistan requested a ceasefire, and that no third-party mediation had taken place. 'India has not accepted mediation in the past and never will,' Misri added. Adding to the confusion, a White House press officer said Munir had been invited after suggesting Trump be nominated for the Nobel peace prize for ending the conflict, which followed a terror attack that killed 26 mainly Hindu holidaymakers in Indian-administered Kashmir. Munir's red-carpet treatment in Washington and high praise from US Central Command hint at a strategic recalibration. Gen Michael E Kurilla, the head of Central Command, recently called Pakistan a 'phenomenal' counter-terrorism partner, citing Islamabad's role in helping capture the alleged ISKP planner behind the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport, an attack that killed 13 US troops and more than 170 Afghan civilians. Munir's five-day US tour includes meetings at the Pentagon, State Department, and Central Command headquarters in Florida. Such access is extraordinary for a Pakistani general. 'Senior US officials often meet with Pakistani generals,' Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based South Asia analyst, noted. 'But they don't get entertained at the White House. Ayub Khan and Zia ul-Haq were exceptions but they came as heads of state.' The shift in tone is stark. India has long positioned itself as the more reliable partner for the US as the world's largest democracy, a bulwark against China, and a hub for expanding trade and intelligence-sharing. Pakistan, by contrast, has been dogged by accusations of sheltering terrorists and undermining civilian rule. Just a few years ago, Trump himself accused Pakistan of offering 'nothing but lies and deceit'. Joe Biden later called it 'one of the most dangerous nations in the world'. Indian officials continue to point to Pakistan's links to major terror attacks, including on its parliament in 2001 and in Mumbai in 2008 . Against that backdrop, Washington's embrace of Munir strikes a jarring note in Delhi, where critics say the US is engaging with the same military establishment long accused of enabling cross-border militancy. Analysts say the pivot may be driven by more than just strategic cooperation. For Trump, it could be personal. 'He has a thing for strongmen,' said one US analyst. 'He sees something in Munir – the mystique, the military credentials, the aura of control. Trump responds to dominance, and Munir projects it.' That may help to explain why Munir was granted access usually reserved for heads of state. 'He probably relished the opportunity to size Munir up,' said Kugelman. 'Trump knows that in Pakistan, it's the army chief who really runs the show.' But Munir's visit is taking place as the Middle East is in turmoil, with Israel striking Iranian targets and Iran firing missiles in retaliation. The US may be hoping that Pakistan, one of the few countries with diplomatic ties to Tehran, could play a role in de-escalation. There's also a more delicate calculation, with Israel pushing the US to join its military campaign against Iran, which shares a 900-km border with Pakistan. That geography puts Islamabad in a pivotal position. Some analysts believe the US may be probing whether Munir would allow surveillance flights or logistical cooperation. But Pakistan's room for manoeuvre is limited, with public opinion strongly pro-Iran. 'Even privately, Pakistan's military would likely balk at the risks,' said Kugelman. 'They can't afford to be dragged into this. The backlash would be enormous.' For Indian officials, Munir's reception has revived old memories of the U.S. tendency to tilt toward Pakistan at critical junctures, such as in the cold war moments or post-9/11. But this time, analysts also say, the reset may also involve commercial opportunity. Pakistan is actively courting US investment in two of the most volatile and potentially lucrative global commerce sectors: cryptocurrency and critical minerals. 'The Trump-Munir meeting shouldn't be seen only through the lens of the Israel-Iran war,' Kugelman said. 'There's been US-Pakistan engagement on crypto, minerals, and counter-terrorism, and Trump takes a deep personal interest in all of these.' He added: 'This is classic Trump: 'What can you do for me? What can I get out of this?''
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Trump hosts Pakistani army chief, disagrees with Modi over India-Pakistan war mediation
US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House on Wednesday in an unprecedented meeting that risked worsening a disagreement with India over the president's claim that he stopped last month's conflict between the nuclear-armed South Asian foes. The lunch meeting was the first time a US president had hosted the head of Pakistan's army at the White House unaccompanied by senior Pakistani civilian officials. Trump said he was honoured to meet Munir and that they had discussed Iran, which he said Pakistan knew better than most. Trump told reporters he had thanked Munir for ending the war with India, for which he also praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who he spoke to on Tuesday night. "Two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war; that could have been a nuclear war," Trump told reporters. Pakistan's military said in a statement that the two discussed trade, economic development, and cryptocurrency during the two-hour meeting and also exchanged views on tensions between Israel and Iran. "President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests," the army said. Munir had been expected to press Trump not to enter Israel's war with Iran and seek a ceasefire, Pakistani officials and experts said. A section of Pakistan's embassy in Washington represents Iran's interests in the United States, as Tehran does not have diplomatic relations with the U.S. Pakistan has condemned Israel's airstrikes against Iran, saying they violate international law and threaten regional stability. The meeting represented a major boost in US-Pakistan ties, which had largely languished under Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden, as both courted India as part of efforts to push back against China. Asked earlier what he wanted to achieve from meeting Munir, Trump told reporters: "Well, I stopped a war ... I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We're going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. "But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India. This man was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side, Modi from the India side and others," he said. "They were going at it - and they're both nuclear countries. I got it stopped." White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump hosted Munir after he called for the president to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. NO MEDIATION Trump had said last month that the neighbours agreed to a ceasefire after talks mediated by the U.S., and that the hostilities ended when he urged the countries to focus on trade instead of war. However, Modi told Trump in their call on Tuesday that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between the Indian and Pakistani militaries and not U.S. mediation, India's most senior diplomat, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, said in a statement. Pakistan has thanked Washington for playing a mediating role, however, while India has repeatedly denied any third-party mediation. Tuesday's phone call between Modi and Trump was the two leaders' first direct exchange since the May 7-10 conflict. "PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this period, there was no talk at any stage on subjects like India-U.S. trade deal or U.S. mediation between India and Pakistan," Misri said. "Talks for ceasing military action happened directly between India and Pakistan through existing military channels, and on the insistence of Pakistan. Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India has not accepted mediation in the past and will never do." Misri said Modi and Trump had been due to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada but Trump left a day early due to the Middle East situation. Trump asked Modi if he could stop by the U.S. on his return from Canada, Misri said, but the Indian leader expressed his inability to do so due to a pre-decided schedule. The heaviest fighting in decades between India and Pakistan was sparked by an April 22 attack in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 people. New Delhi blamed "terrorists" backed by Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denies. Pakistan has previously said the ceasefire happened after its military returned a call the Indian military initiated. On May 7, Indian jets bombed what New Delhi called "terrorist infrastructure" sites across the border, triggering tit-for-tat strikes spread over four days in which both sides used fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery. Michael Kugelman, of the Asia Pacific Foundation think tank, said India-U.S. ties, which have thrived in recent years, could suffer if Trump continued to make remarks about a U.S. role in the ceasefire and offered U.S. mediation on Kashmir, a Himalayan territory India and Pakistan both claim. "For Delhi, it all boils down to an age-old question: How much can it tolerate US-Pakistan cooperation without having it spoil US-India relations — a partnership that's thrived in recent years despite continued US-Pakistan links," he said.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Trump's Pakistan embrace: ‘Tactical romance' or a new ‘inner circle'?
Islamabad, Pakistan – In his first address to a joint session of Congress on March 4 this year, after becoming United States president for a second time, Donald Trump made a striking revelation. He referred to the deadly Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport in August 2021 – which occurred as thousands of Afghans tried to flee following the Taliban takeover – and said the alleged perpetrator had been apprehended. The country he credited with the arrest: Pakistan. 'I want to thank especially the government of Pakistan for helping arrest this monster,' Trump declared. A little more than three months later, Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir for lunch at the White House on Wednesday — the first time a US president has hosted a military chief from Pakistan who isn't also the country's head of state. Munir is on a five-day trip to the US. For a country that Trump had, just seven years earlier, accused of giving the US 'nothing but lies and deceit' and safe havens to terrorists – and one that his immediate predecessor Joe Biden called 'one of the most dangerous nations' – this marks a dramatic shift. It's a reset that experts say has been in the making for weeks, under Trump's second administration, and that was solidified by the brief but intense military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May, during which the US tried to mediate a ceasefire. Some analysts warn that the evolving relationship should be viewed as a product of Trump's personal position, rather than institutional policy. 'We are dealing with an administration which changes its tune by the hour. There is no process here,' Marvin Weinbaum, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute (MEI), told Al Jazeera. 'One minute the US has no interest, and the next minute priorities change rapidly. You're dealing with an administration that is mercurial and personalised, and you don't associate that with traditional US foreign policy,' he added. However, others point out that even the optics of Trump hosting Munir are significant. 'Trump's lunch invite to Pakistan's army chief isn't just protocol-breaking, it's protocol-redefining,' said Raza Ahmad Rumi, a distinguished lecturer at the City University of New York (CUNY). 'It signals, quite visibly, that Pakistan is not just on Washington's radar, it's in the inner circle, at least for now.' The meeting between Trump and Munir came amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where Israel has been conducting strikes inside Iranian cities since June 13. Iran has retaliated with missile attacks of its own on Israel. The Israeli offensive – targeting Iranian generals, missile bases, nuclear facilities and scientists – has killed more than 200 people. Iran's missile and drone attacks on Israel over the past six days have killed about 20 people. The Benjamin Netanyahu-led Israeli government has been urging the US to join the offensive against Iran, which shares a 900-kilometre-long (559-mile) border with Pakistan. Speaking to the media in the Oval Office after the lunch with Munir on Wednesday, Trump noted that the Pakistanis 'know Iran very well, better than most,' but added that they are 'not happy'. According to Trump, however, the main reason for meeting Munir was to thank him for his role in defusing the May conflict between Pakistan and India, a confrontation that brought the region, home to more than 1.6 billion people, to the brink of nuclear war. 'The reason I had him here was that I wanted to thank him for not going into the war [with India]. And I want to thank PM [Narendra] Modi as well, who just left a few days ago. We're working on a trade deal with India and Pakistan,' said Trump, who is known to enjoy a warm relationship with Indian leader Modi. 'These two very smart people decided not to keep going with a war that could have been a nuclear war. Pakistan and India are two big nuclear powers. I was honoured to meet him today,' he added, referring to Munir. The crisis had begun after an April attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 Indian civilians. India blamed Pakistan, which denied the charge and called for a 'credible, independent, transparent' investigation. On May 7, India launched strikes inside Pakistani and Pakistan-administered Kashmir territories. Pakistan responded via its air force, claiming to have downed at least six Indian jets. India confirmed losses but did not specify numbers. The conflict escalated as both sides exchanged drones for three days and eventually launched missiles at military targets on May 10. It ended only after intense backchannel diplomacy, particularly involving the US, led to a ceasefire. Trump reiterated his role on Wednesday. 'I stopped the war between Pakistan and India. This man [Munir] was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side, Modi from the India side, and others,' he said. While Pakistan has acknowledged the US role, India insists the ceasefire resulted solely from bilateral dialogue. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated on Tuesday that Indian PM Modi had spoken to Trump by phone to underscore New Delhi's view that there was no US-led mediation between India and Pakistan. Arif Ansar, chief strategist at Washington-based advisory firm PoliTact, said Pakistan's military performance during the confrontation prompted Trump's engagement. 'It demonstrated that despite its political and economic challenges, the country can outmanoeuvre a much bigger adversary,' Ansar told Al Jazeera. 'This has led President Trump to engage with Pakistan's traditional power centres based on core strategic interests.' That engagement has a long history. Pakistan's relationship with the US dates back to its 1947 independence, after which it aligned with Washington during the Cold War. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Pakistan supported US objectives there, and the two collaborated closely to support the mujahideen that eventually forced Moscow to pull out its troops. Subsequently, Pakistan also backed the post-9/11 US 'war on terror'. However, over the years, many within the US strategic community also started questioning Pakistan's credibility as a reliable security partner, especially after 9/11 architect Osama bin Laden was found in Abbottabad, close to Rawalpindi, home to Pakistan's military headquarters in 2011. Since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, the strategic partnership has waned further. Pakistan has increasingly turned towards China for economic, military and technological support. But Weinbaum said that since Trump returned to office, Pakistan has been getting respect that was lacking under the previous Biden administration. Trump wanted 'counterterrorism assistance,' Weinbaum said – and seemingly got it. On June 10, General Michael E Kurilla, chief of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), detailed how that cooperation led to the capture of the suspected Abbey Gate bomber. 'They [Pakistan] are in an active counterterrorism fight right now, and they have been a phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world,' Kurilla said, in a testimony before the House Armed Services Committee in Washington, DC. According to Kurilla, who also oversees the US military's Middle East operations including Iran, this progress, including the arrest of the Abbey Gate bombing suspect, was made possible due to direct coordination with Pakistan's army chief. 'Field Marshal Asim Munir called me to tell me they had captured one of the Daesh-K [ISKP or ISIS-K] individuals,' he said. As the icing on the cake for the bilateral relationship, Weinbaum suggested, Pakistan has thrown in 'more goodies, such as a trade deal with no tariffs, offering rare earth minerals, and crypto'. Weinbaum previously served as an analyst for Pakistan and Afghanistan in the US State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research. Rare earth minerals, critical for industries like defence, robotics and electronics, are among Pakistan's assets now being offered to foreign investors, including the US and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan has also recently formed a crypto council and held talks with US officials to attract investment and partnerships. Rumi called the Munir-Trump meeting 'historic'. 'The US wants Pakistan's help in de-risking regional volatility without offering much in return. For Munir, it's an opportunity to reassert relevance and perhaps negotiate manoeuvring space at home,' he said. Historically, Pakistan's ties with the US have been largely transactional, particularly in the security sphere. US aid and investment often followed Pakistan's alignment with US strategic goals, helping build its infrastructure and military. But the relationship has also been marked by distrust, with US administrations accusing Pakistan of double-dealing, while Pakistan claims the US has failed to respect the sacrifices it has made while siding with them. Whether this latest engagement proves to be another fleeting phase or a more durable alignment remains to be seen, say experts. Rumi, the New York-based academic, said the US has traditionally engaged Pakistan when it needed to, and retreated when it could. 'Unless this relationship is institutionalised, beyond the security lens with which it is viewed, it's another tactical romance. And like past dalliances, it could fade once strategic goals are met or regimes change,' he said. Ansar added that Pakistan again stands on the brink of a major strategic choice amid the global power shift. 'Much depends on whether it leans toward China or the US. That decision is also tied to the evolving Israel-Palestine conflict and the role of Iran,' he said. But Weinbaum, the former State Department official, described the reset in ties as temporary, as 'nothing is permanent in this administration'. 'If Pakistan does play some role in the Iran crisis, they have could have more substantial meaning to these ties. But it needs to be prepared that there is nothing settled with this administration. It can change on a dime, at any hour,' he said. The military remains Pakistan's most powerful institution, exerting enormous influence over politics and society. It has ruled directly for more than three decades, and the current government, elected in a controversial vote last year, is widely seen as secondary to the military leadership under Munir. This is consistent with historical precedent. Pakistan's first military ruler, Field Marshal Ayub Khan, had close ties with the US in the 1960s. Subsequent military rulers, including General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s and General Pervez Musharraf in the 2000s, also maintained strong US relations. All three were hosted by US presidents at the White House – but only after they became heads of state. Munir, now only the second Pakistani to hold the rank of field marshal after Khan, reinforces the perception that Pakistan's real power remains with the military, despite the presence of a civilian government, say experts. Still, CUNY's Rumi said it was important not to 'confuse symbolism with transformation'. 'This [Trump-Munir] meeting validates the enduring military-to-military track in US-Pakistan [ties], but it also bypasses the civilian setup, which should worry anyone rooting for democratic consolidation. If this is the 'reset,' it's one where khaki once again trumps ballot,' he cautioned, referring to the colour of the military's uniform. Ansar from PoliTact concurred, saying that the meeting reflects adversely on the civil-military balance in Pakistan, as it showed who remains the 'real power bearer' in Pakistan. 'In the long run, these dealings in the past have led to tremendous political, economic and security-related repercussions for the nation [Pakistan],' he said. 'But additionally, it has promoted a norm that critical decisions impacting the nation must be made in private without discussion, consensus or public ownership. This results in increased societal and political disillusionment regarding the future of the country.'
Arab News
a day ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan's army chief meets Trump at White House amid tensions with India, Iran-Israel conflict
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, has held a rare and extended meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, the military said on Thursday, a high-level engagement that underscores Islamabad's deepening security and economic dialogue with Washington. This was the first time in many years that a Pakistani army chief was hosted by a sitting US president at the White House, highlighting Washington's renewed interest in maintaining influence in South Asia as regional tensions flare. According to a statement from Pakistan's military, Munir met Trump at a luncheon in the Cabinet Room on Wednesday before visiting the Oval Office, accompanied by Pakistan's National Security Adviser Lt Gen Asim Malik. On the US side, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Representative for Middle Eastern Affairs Steve Witkoff joined the discussions. During the meeting, Munir conveyed Pakistan's 'deep appreciation' for Trump's role in brokering a ceasefire that ended last month's flare-up between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India — the most intense fighting between the neighbors in decades. From May 7-10, the two militaries exchanged drones, missiles and artillery fire before Trump announced a truce. 'During the meeting, the Chief of Army Staff conveyed the deep appreciation of the Government and people of Pakistan for President Trump's constructive and result-oriented role in facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in the recent regional crisis,' the military statement said. The army chief also acknowledged President Trump's 'statesmanship and his ability to comprehend and address the multifaceted challenges faced by the global community.' The military statement added that Trump praised Pakistan's counter-terrorism cooperation and lauded Munir's 'leadership and decisiveness' during a period of complex security challenges, including the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The meeting is being widely seen as a rare direct engagement that signals a cautious thaw in ties between the two countries under Trump's second presidency. Pakistan's powerful military plays a central role in shaping the country's foreign and security policies. Direct outreach to its top commander reflects Washington's effort to manage key regional security issues, including the aftermath of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, tensions between Pakistan and India after their deadly military exchanges last month, and the broader fallout of the escalating Israel-Iran confrontation. Security analysts say the meeting also reflects Washington's renewed effort to maintain its influence in a region where Beijing's footprint is steadily expanding through infrastructure investment and defense ties with Islamabad. ECONOMIC TIES Trump and Munir also discussed expanding cooperation in trade, economic development, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, energy and emerging technologies — areas traditionally handled by civilian governments. Analysts note that in recent years, Pakistan's powerful army, known for its dominance in politics, has steadily expanded its influence beyond security and politics into economic and financial management, especially through bodies such as the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) — a civil-military platform that oversees major economic initiatives and foreign investment deals. Munir's direct discussions on economic and technological partnerships with the US president are being seen by independent observers as further evidence of the military's outsized role in shaping Pakistan's economic agenda. Trump told reporters after the talks he was 'honored' to host Munir and confirmed that the Iran-Israel crisis had been discussed. He also said he wanted to thank the Pakistani commander for preventing the standoff with India from escalating further. Munir, who has recently been elevated to Field Marshal in recognition of what the government called his 'strategic brilliance' during the India clashes in May, extended an invitation for Trump to visit Pakistan, according to the statement. The White House has not commented on whether the president has accepted the invitation. The meeting, initially scheduled for one hour but running for over two, took place amid renewed fears that fighting between Israel and Iran, now well into its seventh day, could spill over and destabilize the wider region, including Pakistan's western border with Iran. Pakistan has repeatedly called for de-escalation and a peaceful resolution to the crisis, while maintaining close ties with Tehran and Gulf allies, and expressing sympathy for the Palestinian cause amid an ongoing Israeli military offensive in the besieged enclave. 'Well, they [Pakistan] know Iran very well, better than most, and they're not happy about anything [Iran-Israel conflict],' Trump said in response to a question by a reporter after his meeting with Munir on whether Iran came up in the discussions. 'It's not that they're better with Israel. They [Pakistan] know them both actually, but they probably, maybe, know Iran better, but they [Pakistan] see what's going on. And he [Field Marshal General Asim Munir] agreed with me.' Trump did not specify what the Pakistani general had agreed with him on.
ABC News
a day ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Donald Trump hosts Pakistani army chief, disagrees with India over India-Pakistan war mediation
US President Donald Trump has hosted Pakistan's army chief at the White House, an unprecedented meeting that analysts say risks worsening a disagreement with India. The meeting on Wednesday local time was the first time a US president had hosted the powerful head of Pakistan's army, widely regarded as having sway over the country's national security policies, at the White House, unaccompanied by senior Pakistani civilian officials. Mr Trump told reporters he had thanked Field Marshal Asim Munir for ending the war with India, and also praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who he spoke to on Tuesday night. "Two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war; that could have been a nuclear war," Mr Trump told reporters. Asked earlier what he wanted to achieve from meeting Pakistan's army chief, Mr Trump told reporters: "Well, I stopped a war … I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We're going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. "But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India. This man was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side, Modi from the India side, and others," he said. "They were going at it — and they're both nuclear countries. I got it stopped." However, the Indian government says the US was not responsible. Mr Modi told Mr Trump in their call on Tuesday that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between the Indian and Pakistani militaries and not US mediation, India's most senior diplomat, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, said in a statement. "Talks for ceasing military action happened directly between India and Pakistan through existing military channels, and on the insistence of Pakistan. Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India has not accepted mediation in the past and will never do," said Mr Misri. The heaviest fighting in decades between India and Pakistan was sparked by an April 22 attack in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 people. New Delhi blamed "terrorists" backed by Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denies. Pakistan has thanked Washington for playing a mediating role; however, India has repeatedly denied any third-party mediation. "Islamabad is leaning on Trump to push India for direct India-Pakistan talks, while Delhi is refusing to hold bilateral talks on external pressures," said Muhammad Faisal, a South Asia security researcher based at the University of Technology Sydney. He said a "tense calm" has prevailed between the two sides. They have withdrawn troops after the escalation in Kashmir, but India is refusing to resume adherence to the Indus Waters Treaty. Tourism operators in Kashmir said there had been few tourists in the scenic Himalayan region since the attacks. Mr Trump said last month that India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire after talks mediated by the US, where he urged the countries to focus on trade instead of war. Previously, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that both sides had agreed to hold talks on a "broad set of issues at a neutral site". "Pakistan is now trying to hold India and the US to this commitment, while Delhi is distancing itself," Mr Faisal told the ABC. Michael Kugelman, of the Asia Pacific Foundation think tank, said India-US ties, which have thrived in recent years, could suffer if Trump continued to make remarks about a US role in the ceasefire. "For Delhi, it all boils down to an age-old question: How much can it tolerate US-Pakistan cooperation without having it spoil US-India relations — a partnership that's thrived in recent years." Mr Munir was expected to press Mr Trump not to enter Israel's war with Iran and seek a ceasefire, Pakistani officials and experts said. A section of Pakistan's embassy in Washington represents Iran's interests in the United States, as Tehran does not have diplomatic relations with the US. The meeting represented a major boost in US-Pakistan ties, which had largely languished under his predecessor Joe Biden, as both courted India as part of efforts to push back against China. ABC/wires
