Senior US Official's Visit to Pakistan to Highlight Counterterrorism Efforts
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Synopsis
The US administration is sending a senior official to Pakistan to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation and explore economic opportunities. Eric Meyer will lead the delegation in discussions with Pakistani officials while focusing on strategic minerals and expanding US business interests in the region.
Key Takeaways
- US official Eric Meyer visits Pakistan to enhance counterterrorism cooperation.
- Focus on promoting economic ties and opportunities for American businesses.
- Delegation aims to engage on critical minerals and investment.
- Pakistan showcases its mineral resources to attract US interest.
- Trump administration takes a transactional approach to Pakistan.
New York, April 6 (NationPress) The administration of US President Donald Trump is dispatching a high-ranking State Department official to Pakistan to emphasize collaboration on counterterrorism while exploring avenues to enhance economic relations. The State Department announced on Saturday that Eric Meyer, a senior figure in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, will spearhead an interagency team during a three-day visit to Islamabad.
According to the department, Meyer aims to “engage with senior officials to highlight the crucial role of our ongoing partnership in counterterrorism efforts.”
He will also convene with high-ranking Pakistani officials to broaden the prospects for American businesses in Pakistan and foster deeper economic connections between the nations.
The media release underscored the delegation’s goal of “promoting US interests in the critical minerals sector at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum.”
The position of Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs remains unfilled, with Trump’s nominee Paul Kapur pending Senate approval.
Former President Joe Biden had largely distanced himself from Pakistan’s military-backed administrations and did not extend invitations to any of its prime ministers for visits to Washington.
In a strategic move, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made gestures to Trump by apprehending ISIS-Khorasan leader Mohammad Sharifullah, the architect behind the suicide bombing that resulted in the deaths of 13 US military personnel close to Kabul Airport during the US exit from Afghanistan in 2023, and subsequently delivering him to the US.
In his recent address to Congress, Trump expressed gratitude to Pakistan “for aiding in the capture of this dangerous individual.”
The apprehension and extradition of Sharifullah represented Pakistan’s attempt to demonstrate its capacity for cooperation with the US on counterterrorism.
With that background, the Trump administration, operating with fewer ideological barriers and a more transactional mindset, is now recognizing the business potential of Pakistan, as reflected in the agenda set for Meyer’s delegation.
Islamabad has initiated a drive to showcase its mineral resources, which has captured the attention of Washington, eager for strategic minerals.
The Mineral Forum that Meyer will participate in states on its website that its objective is to “position Pakistan as a prominent player in the global mining sector, utilizing its extensive mineral resources to enhance ... global supply chain resilience.”
Media outlets in Pakistan have been promoting the availability of copper, chromite (the source of chromium), and even lithium, which is essential for large batteries.
Trade between the US and Pakistan was merely $7.3 billion in 2024, with the US experiencing a deficit of about $3 billion.
Last week, Trump declared that he would impose a 29 percent reciprocal tariff on Pakistan.
