Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif
#Marco Rubio#Shehbaz Sharif#Pakistan-US relations#Trump Peace Plan Gaza#Counter-terrorism#Critical minerals#Energy cooperation#Commercial investment
📌 Key Takeaways
Secretary Rubio and Prime Minister Sharif held diplomatic talks in Washington
Pakistan was thanked for supporting Trump's Gaza Peace Plan and joining the Board of Peace
Condolences were offered for recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan
Economic cooperation in critical minerals and energy sectors was discussed
📖 Full Retelling
Secretary Marco Rubio met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Washington, DC on February 19, 2026, to discuss Pakistan's support for President Trump's Peace Plan for Gaza, counter-terrorism cooperation following recent attacks in Pakistan, and opportunities for commercial investment and critical minerals development. According to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Secretary Rubio specifically thanked Pakistan for its ongoing support of President Trump's Peace Plan for Gaza and for Pakistan's participation in the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace as a founding member. The Secretary also offered his condolences for the January 31 attacks in Balochistan and the February 6 bombing in Islamabad, reaffirming the importance of continued partnership in the fight against terrorism. The meeting also focused on economic cooperation, with Secretary Rubio welcoming Pakistan's participation in the recent Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, where officials discussed critical minerals and energy sector development, as well as commercial investment opportunities for American companies in Pakistan, indicating strengthening economic ties between the two nations beyond security cooperation.
Marco Antonio Rubio (, ROO-bee-oh; born May 28, 1971) is an American politician, attorney, and diplomat serving as the 72nd United States secretary of state since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Florida in the U.S. Senate from 2011 to 2025. Rubio is also the acting national se...
Critical raw materials (CRM), also referred to as critical materials or critical minerals, are raw materials designated by governments as critical for their economies. There is no single list of such materials, as the list varies from country to country, as does the definition of "critical". Critic...
Prime Minister of Pakistan (2022–2023; 2024–present)
Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif (born 23 September 1951) is a Pakistani politician and businessman who has served as the 20th prime minister of Pakistan since March 2024, having previously been in the role between April 2022 to August 2023. He has also served as the president of the Pakistan Muslim Lea...
Home Office of the Spokesperson Press Releases … Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif hide Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif Readout Office of the Spokesperson February 19, 2026 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Today, Secretary Marco Rubio met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Washington, DC. Secretary Rubio thanked Pakistan for its ongoing support of President Trump’s Peace Plan for Gaza and for participating in the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace as a founding member. He offered his condolences for the horrific January 31 attacks in Balochistan and the devastating February 6 bombing in Islamabad, reaffirming the importance of our continued partnership in the fight against terrorism. The Secretary welcomed Pakistan’s participation in the recent Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington. The officials discussed critical minerals and energy sector development, as well as commercial investment opportunities for American companies. Tags Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson Pakistan The Secretary of State
