ISLAMABAD:Over two weeks after President Donald Trump assumed office, there has been no direct communication between Pakistan and the new US administration.
Sources revealed to The Express Tribune on Tuesday that while the two countries have engaged through standard diplomatic channels, there has been no formal interaction with the Trump administration.
This lack of direct contact indicates that Pakistan no longer holds the same priority with the new administration. Once considered a key ally of the United States, regular discussions between the two capitals have become increasingly rare in recent years.
The trend of limited engagement began under former President Joe Biden, who did not have direct conversations with any Pakistani prime ministers during his four years in office. Similarly, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, despite visiting the region frequently, never made a trip to Islamabad.
Both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended their congratulations to Trump following his inauguration, with Sharif even sending a letter emphasizing Pakistan’s interest in strengthening bilateral ties. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also congratulated US counterpart Marco Rubio. However, the new administration has not responded to any of these gestures.
The Trump administration has not made any direct statements on Pakistan, but certain decisions have affected the country. Pakistan was among those impacted by Trump’s executive order halting foreign aid programs, with the exception of Israel and Egypt. This pause in foreign aid was intended to allow for a review of its alignment with US foreign policy objectives.
Pakistan had hoped that the suspension would be temporary and that US aid programs would eventually resume. Additionally, Trump’s executive order to halt the Afghan refugee settlement program has direct implications for Pakistan. The suspension of the Special Immigration Visa program and Afghan refugee admissions has affected approximately 25,000 Afghans currently residing in Pakistan. These individuals, who had worked for the US military and American contractors in Afghanistan, were promised visas due to the risks they faced under Taliban rule. The Foreign Office recently revealed that the Biden administration had agreed to complete the relocation process by September 2025.
