Pakistan will 'forever remain grateful' to Trump for India ceasefire, says Shehbaz Sharif
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Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that his country will "forever remain grateful" to US President Donald Trump for what he described as a "timely and most decisive" intervention that helped secure a ceasefire with India.
Speaking at a US Embassy reception marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, Sharif characterized the long-standing ties between Islamabad and Washington as a "true and special relationship" that has endured for nearly eight decades.
The prime minister’s comments referenced a four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan last year. The border hostilities were triggered by a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people and prompted India to launch "Operation Sindoor" against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Sharif asserted that Trump’s involvement on 10 May last year directly brought an end to the unprovoked aggression and restored regional stability.
While President Trump has frequently claimed credit for brokering peace in South Asia following the escalation, New Delhi has consistently rejected any narratives of third-party mediation. The Indian government maintains that the ceasefire and subsequent understandings were reached entirely through direct, bilateral channels between the two neighbouring nations.
During his address, Sharif praised Trump’s leadership style, stating that the US president has infused Washington's global engagements with renewed energy and vision. He highlighted the extensive history of bilateral cooperation, noting that the United States was among the first nations to officially recognize Pakistan's independence in 1947, paving the way for decades of collaboration across security, trade, education, and energy sectors.
Turning to broader regional diplomacy, the prime minister claimed that Pakistan is currently playing a facilitating role in back-channel communication between the United States and Iran. He credited Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for supporting these ongoing diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving long-lasting regional peace.
US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker also addressed the gathering, describing the two nations as true strategic partners. She noted that President Trump’s diplomatic approach toward Islamabad has been direct and consequential, focused primarily on crisis management and delivering tangible security results.
(Inputs from PTI)