Pakistan, US Discuss Stronger Economic Partnership in Early Diplomatic Talks

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, met with US Assistant Secretary of State Paul Kapur this week in Washington for what officials described as an early round of discussions to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The meeting marked a fresh step in turning recent diplomatic warmth into practical engagement.

Ambassador Sheikh Pushes for Economic-Based Ties

During the meeting, Ambassador Sheikh congratulated Kapur on assuming charge of the South and Central Asia Bureau and emphasized the need for both sides to move beyond diplomatic niceties. He urged that the Pakistan–US relationship be grounded in trade, investment, and energy cooperation, calling for steady engagement at the working level.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ambassador Sheikh stated: “Discussed ways and means of translating the resolve — expressed at the leadership level — of developing Pak-US ties into an economically entrenched strategic partnership, through sustained engagement in multiple domains of mutual interest.”

US Signals Willingness for Continued Dialogue

Responding to the meeting, Assistant Secretary Kapur also posted on his official X handle: “Pleasure to meet Pakistani Ambassador Sheikh at the State Department today. Discussed ways to advance the US-Pakistan relationship and make our countries more prosperous and secure.”

While no concrete roadmap has yet been outlined, US officials have shown interest in continuing discussions. Pakistani diplomats see this as a positive step in re-establishing Washington’s engagement at a time when Islamabad is seeking to stabilize ties after several difficult years.

Paul Kapur: Background and Experience

Paul Kapur was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs on October 22, 2025. He is currently on leave from the United States Naval Postgraduate School, where he served as a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs.

His career includes roles at the Hoover Institution, State Department’s Policy Planning Staff, and Claremont McKenna College. Kapur is widely recognized for his scholarship on South Asian security and nuclear stability, authoring and co-authoring several key works such as Dangerous Deterrent: Nuclear Weapons Proliferation and Conflict in South Asia and India, Pakistan, and the Bomb: Debating Nuclear Stability in South Asia.

Kapur has also directed US–India Track 1.5 dialogues and defense-related engagements. He holds a PhD from the University of Chicago and a BA from Amherst College.

The recent meeting is viewed as a strategic step toward redefining Pak–US relations through long-term, economy-focused cooperation rather than short-term crisis diplomacy.