Washington, July 23, 2025: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on July 25, marking the first high-level engagement between the two officials since Rubio assumed office.
The meeting was confirmed by U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce during a press briefing on Wednesday. “Preparations for the meeting are complete, and I will be present alongside top leaders from both delegations,” she said.
Dar is currently in the United States on an official visit and is expected to arrive in Washington after concluding engagements in New York, which include interactions with the Pakistani diaspora, meetings with prominent U.S. think tanks, and interviews with international media.
While the official agenda has not been made public, diplomatic sources suggest that discussions will likely focus on regional security concerns — including the Kashmir dispute, rising India-Pakistan border tensions, and India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions in South Asia following a deadly attack in April in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead. India blamed Pakistan for the incident — an allegation Islamabad strongly denied, calling instead for an independent investigation.
Subsequent Indian airstrikes on Pakistani territory on May 7 triggered a serious military exchange between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, involving air, drone, and artillery attacks. The escalation resulted in dozens of casualties on both sides before a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was achieved.
During the upcoming meeting, Dar is expected to express Pakistan’s appreciation to President Donald Trump for what Islamabad views as his “constructive role” in defusing the recent crisis. According to officials, Dar will formally convey this gratitude during talks with Secretary Rubio.
Last month, Pakistan nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his mediation efforts. The nomination letter, signed by Dar, was submitted to the Nobel Committee in Oslo. Trump had previously referred to the Kashmir dispute as a “long-standing, unresolved issue” and offered to mediate — a move welcomed by Pakistan but rejected by India.
The July 25 meeting is seen as a key opportunity to reset Pakistan-U.S. relations amid shifting regional dynamics and renewed global attention on South Asian stability.
